Berlin,  11. December 2009 - In the presence of Dr. Jens-Peter Heuer, state secretary at the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Women, Andreas Prohl, member of the executive board, GASAG and Thomas Krupke, member of the executive board, SOLON SE officially opened a pilot solar power system at Berlin-Mariendorf on December 11, 2009. A photovoltaic system with an initial capacity of 100 kilowatts was installed on the site of the former Mariendorf gas works.

SOLON and GASAG are looking at expanding this system to become Berlin’s largest solar power plant with a capacity of up to 2 megawatts. The photovoltaic system comprises ten units known as movers. There could be as many as 200 later on. In the starting phase, the plant is set to generate 110,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, which will be fed into the grid. Subsequently it would be possible to generate up to 2,200 megawatt hours annually. This is equivalent to a reduction in CO2 of 2,200 metric tons compared to electricity from fossil power stations in Germany.

Both companies, GASAG and SOLON SE, are partners in the Berlin Climate Alliance. The jointly planned project is a symbol of the companies’ commitment to climate protection in the capital city region and for the further expansion and use of renewable energy sources. The ground-mounted photovoltaic system represents a sustainable and ecologically sound use for the former gas works site. The two-axis tracking solar modules ensure a very low sealed surface area and hence the conservation of green biotopes, while also guaranteeing the maximum utilization of available solar energy for generating solar power.

“We wanted to find an environmentally friendly and non-invasive solution for the use of this industrial site to the south of the Mariendorf docks,” explains GASAG executive director Andreas Prohl. The project in Mariendorf is also part of the GASAG program “Committed to Berlin – decentralized energy supply as an opportunity”, via which GASAG intends to save one million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2015. “We are pleased to be in partnership with SOLON, who support us with their knowledge and expertise so that together we can make a contribution to supplying environmentally friendly electricity to homes in Berlin,” Prohl continues.

SOLON executive director Thomas Krupke adds: “Following this year’s inauguration of the new energy-efficient, resource-saving SOLON Corporate Headquarters building in Berlin-Adlersdorf, this is a step further in project realization for the Berlin Climate Alliance.” The strategic partnership between the utility company GASAG and SOLON also serves as an example of how the goals of international climate policy can be implemented at the regional level.

Source: SOLON SE

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