| Posted: August 21, 2009 |
Europe's largest solar park opens in Brandenburg |
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(Nanowerk News) The German solar energy industry has a new showcase project. On the former military training grounds in Lieberose, Brandenburg, Europe’s largest solar installation is being completed. The Lieberose Solar Farm is not only the leader in terms of size and capacity, but will also serve as a model project for the renaturalization of former military sites. The official opening will take place today.
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The Lieberose Solar Farm marks a milestone for the solar energy sector and stands for the strong link between sustainable technologies and environmental protection. Juwi Solar GmbH, project developer for regenerative power plants, as well as the American photovoltaic module manufacturer First Solar, realized the project with a joint funding effort of EUR 160 million.
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The plant covers 162 hectares and should be completed by the end of 2009. With an output of 53 megawatts, the electricity supply for roughly 15,000 households can be covered. First Solar is equipping the installation with 700,000 cutting-edge thin film modules, a majority produced at its plant in Frankfurt/Oder.
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In addition to its status as Europe’s largest solar plant, the model project represents an ecological benchmark. The park will serve to generate solar energy for more than 20 years. Thereafter, the modules and components will be disassembled and disposed of at an already existing First Solar recycling plant.
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The solar plant is simultaneously a flagship project for the use of former military grounds. A one-time payment and leasing agreement with the federal state of Brandenburg secured the removal of warfare agents and munitions from the site, which was used since the early 1990s as a military training ground and chemical storage site. At the end of the energy generation project, the Lieberose moorlands will be free of any contamination or weaponry and available for nature conservation projects.
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Germany Trade & Invest supported the solar module producer First Solar with its site selection process and investment in Frankfurt/Oder.
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