For many years, the operators of the old coal-fired power plant in Böhlen-Lippendorf south of Leipzig dumped ash on the site. Mixed with building rubble, it was used to backfill the huge hole left by the lignite excavators. LEAG, which also owns this legacy of lignite-fired power generation, wants to build a large solar park on the area, which has been shut down since November 2020 and has since been released from recultivation.
Static tests carried out
The project developer Belectric from Kolitzheim in Lower Franconia has taken on this difficult task. The installers are to mount about 30,000 modules with a total output of 17 megawatts on the former ash settling plant. This is no easy undertaking.
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This is because the settling, corrosive soil with building rubble and coal-fired power plant ash in the subsoil requires intensive planning. "We carried out static tests and took soil samples at an early stage so that we could tailor the solar park precisely to the special requirements of the area," explains Martin Kunz, the responsible project manager at Belectric.
Connection to the medium-voltage grid
But the construction of the power line to connect the new solar power plant to the grid is not easy either. "It runs through the landfill area and will ultimately be connected to the medium voltage in the cable basement of the neighbouring coal-fired power plant," Kunz describes the plan. "This is where the many years of experience of our AC team comes in handy."
Species protection in view
But planning on difficult terrain is not the only challenge. For special attention is being paid to species protection during the construction of the solar park. For example, some areas will be excluded from the construction work in order to protect the native sand lizard. At the same time, Belectric is planting a flowering strip and piles of stone and wood. These are intended to provide shelter for lizards and slow worms.
Commissioning planned for 2023
Commissioning of the plant is planned for the first half of 2023. "The construction of the Böhlen solar power plant marks another milestone in LEAG's transformation process towards a renewable energy company, which EP New Energies is supporting with its project development. Despite the complex framework conditions with regard to the building site but also the requirements of nature conservation, we can now start the construction phase at full speed without any major delays in the project development," explains Florian Beyer, Project Manager Renewables at EP New Energies. EP New Energies is the renewables division of the EPH Group.
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This Energetický a Průmyslový Holding in turn is a Czech energy supplier that took over Vattenfall's lignite division - including the plant in Böhlen-Lippendorf - in April 2016 and now manages it in the guise of LEAG. "We are delighted that LEAG and EP New Energies have chosen us as a partner to build this exciting solar park," adds Thomas Dorsch, Sales Manager for Germany at Belectric. "This is our first joint project - and it certainly won't be the last," he posits. (su/mfo)
