UKA to construct 120-MW wind park at Mercedes-Benz test track

• German automotive major Mercedes-Benz Group AG (ETR: MBG) announced today it has worked with UKA Group to build a wind park with a capacity of more than 120 MW at its test track in Papenburg.

Mercedes-Benz claimed it has placed a lasting contract "worth thousands of millions" with UKA about the project, which could go into the building and construction stage as early as following year, subject to obtaining the required regulative nods. It formerly announced plans for a 100-MW wind farm on the particular site.

The 20-turbine facility is anticipated to cover around 20% of the group's annual electrical energy requirements in Germany from 2026 onwards. Mercedes-Benz will be buying the output of the wind park under a power purchase agreement (PPA). The company is also considering a solar photovoltaic or pv (PV) installation on the 800-hectare test track.

"By 2039, we intend to cover the energy demands of our worldwide production network totally with renewable energies, as well as for that reason without CO2 emissions. We are systematically gearing our places up for this," claimed Joerg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Production and also Supply Chain Management.

Presently, the group meets concerning 45% of its complete energy demand with renewable power as well as means to increase that share to 70% by 2030. To this end, it means to install approximately 140 MWp of solar parks at its own places by 2025.