German floating PV plant works much better than expected

• The quantity of solar electrical power generated as well as percentage of self-consumption at the Lake Maiwald floating plant have actually both surpassed assumptions. Gravel firm Ossola has actually been able to minimize its power costs 10% as a result.

Floating PV systems are still fairly brand-new in Germany and the biggest, a 750 kW center, was set up a year back by gas firm Erdgas Südwest and also gravel plant operator Armin Ossola on Lake Maiwald, in Renchen, southern Germany. A year on, the results have actually been far better than predicted.

The 2,300 solar modules on the lake created 860 MWh of solar energy in the initial year of procedure, as reported by Erdgas, more than the 800 MWh prepared for. The gravel firm defeated forecasts it would certainly consume two-thirds of the electricity created at the lake by instead utilizing 75% of the accept operate hefty devices in the nearby gravel works, thus reducing electricity expenses 10%.

The plant additionally withstood severe weather conditions with the modules enduring a stormy February after last year's hot summertime. In February, wind speeds of greater than 100 kilometers per hour just bent the inverter roofing system, with the issue rapidly repaired.

" It was the appropriate choice to invest in this job," said Armin Ossola, that invested around EUR1 million on the job. "In enhancement to the positive economic and ecological elements, we went far for ourselves with the plant as an environmentally-friendly, cutting-edge firm."

Boris Heller, head of project development at Erdgas Südwest, said the utility had actually fielded numerous questions regarding comparable projects in current months and has created more floating websites which can be expected to form "soon.".