Renewable energies

LEAG is constantly expanding its renewable energy portfolio. Find out more about our existing plants and current projects.

Our new projects

The construction of a wind or solar farm is preceded by an intensive phase of project planning and approval. We are currently planning the following projects, among others: Forst-Briesnig II wind farm, Floating PV on the future Cottbus Baltic Sea, Bohrau energy park. We will keep you informed about the project status.

To our projects
Our plants

Renewable energies are becoming an integral part of our portfolio. Find out more about our renewable energy plants in Welzow, Lübbenau, Cottbus and Zschornewitz.

To our renewable energy plants

Germany strives for climate neutrality

The energy supply system in Germany is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Renewable energies are becoming the basis of our electricity supply. At the same time, green electricity is also in demand as a fuel for change in other areas of the economy and life - be it in e-cars, heat pumps or for the production of hydrogen. The so-called "sector coupling" of the electricity industry with the areas of heating, transport and industry is also increasing the demand for electricity here.

Through innovative technology combinations, we want to achieve that green electricity is available to us in sufficient quantities, regardless of the time of day and the weather. It is important for us to enable and help shape regional value chains with the expansion of renewable power generation.

Find out more about our commitment to hydrogen mobility in Cottbus.

Floating PV plants

The construction of a floating PV plant on the future Cottbus Baltic Sea is one of our lighthouse projects. EP New Energies is responsible for the project planning. With around 21 MW, the plant would be the largest floating PV project realised in Germany to date. The solar modules form a floating PV park of up to 16 hectares. The future Cottbus Baltic has a total area of 1,900 hectares. This means that less than one percent of the lake's surface area will be used.

Size of the plant

up to 16 hectares

Nominal output

approx. 21 MWp planned

Annual generation

approx. 20,000 MWh planned
(corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of 5,700 households)

Planning status at Cottbuser Ostsee

The dimensions of the lake make it possible to plan the project area with the greatest possible distance to all lakeshores used for tourism, outside of shipping routes, navigable from all sides and without restrictions for possible water sports and competitions on the lake. Due to the flat design, the PV system will hardly be noticeable from the shores used for tourism.

The electricity generated will be transported by the shortest route to the eastern shore of the lake and then to the Cottbus-Nord transformer station. As an innovative green power project, the floating PV system, in combination with other renewable energy systems, fits in well with the city's vision of realizing a holistic mobility and energy supply concept for a CO2-neutral harbour district at Cottbus Baltic Sea. At the same time, it can become a building block for CO2-neutral mobility in Cottbus and Lusatia.

The establishment of a development plan by the city of Cottbus is required for the construction of the plant. The procedure is being conducted with the participation of the public and the relevant authorities and began with the decision to draw up the plan in June 2021. The resolution on the statute could be passed in autumn 2022.

Due to the progress of the flooding, LEAG has made preliminary work in parallel and has begun with the mining preparation of the building ground. Between November 2021 and June 2022, the still-dry lake bed in the project area was compacted and recompacted to a depth of 30 meters using vibro-pressure methods. In addition, a securing support structure was created and the access road was prepared for the subsequent delivery of the floats and solar modules.

Visualization of the plant

In the positioning and structural design of the floating PV plant, great importance is attached to ensuring that it is as imperceptible as possible from the shores used for tourism.

Visual axis of the Lakoma Cottbuser Ostsee site, graphic: LEAG
Visual axis of the Teichland Cottbuser Ostsee site, graphic: LEAG
Visual axis of the Cottbuser Ostsee site at Bärenbrück, graphic: LEAG
Visual axis of the Merzdorf Cottbuser Ostsee site, graphic: LEAG
Lighthouse project

Our project is Germany's largest floating PV plant on Germany's largest post-mining lake, an innovative contribution to the expansion of renewable energies and for Lusatia as a model region for the energy transition and structural change. It strengthens location and image factors such as sustainability and climate neutrality.

Suitability of the water body

The size of the lake enables floating photovoltaics without restricting potential for local recreation and tourism. The project uses less than 1 percent of the future lake area, keeps a large distance from shores used for tourism and ensures navigability. The shallow water depth favours anchoring and reduced use of materials. A transformer station is already in place.

Economic factor

This first floating solar plant in Lusatia initiates the development of a promising PV segment with high potential in Brandenburg and Saxony. The project not only expands LEAG's regional generation portfolio, but also helps to maintain value creation. It makes it possible to build up know-how on site together with partners that can be used in further projects.


Wind farm Forst-Briesnig II

The Forst-Briesnig II wind farm is planned on a 320-hectare recultivation area of the Jänschwalde opencast mine. Here, 17 wind turbines (WTGs) with a total capacity of 102 MW are planned on future agricultural land. The approval procedure started in July 2021.

 

The planning area

Project area:

  • Spree-Neiße district; town of Forst (Briesnig district) and Peitz district (Horno and Heinersbrück districts).
  • Designated as an area suitable for wind energy in the former factual sub-regional plan (TRP) for wind energy use of the Lusatia-Spreewald region of 16.06.2016; sub-regional plan currently being redrafted (requirements for project area still met)

Current use:

  • Dump areas of the Jänschwalde open-cast mine being reclaimed for agricultural use.
  • Five existing turbines of the Forst-Briesnig I wind farm: Senvion, 3.2M122 NES; hub height, 139 m; total height 200 m, commissioning: December 2018, owner: LHI Group, formerly ABO Wind

Visualizations of the planned wind farm Forst-Briesnig II

As part of the approval procedure for the Forst-Briesnig II wind farm, the impact on the landscape is analysed and assessed on a project-specific basis. Visualisations that make the planned project visible already today help in this process.

The landscape has always been subject to man-made changes. The extent of the impairment is also linked to the subjective perception of each individual. The basic question of what is perceived as beautiful or ugly is difficult to answer. The larger the facilities, the more they come into view. Therefore, a sensitive choice of location for wind turbines is important. Arbitrary planning is ruled out here, as decisions on the respective suitability areas are already made at the regional level. As part of the approval procedure, the change in the landscape is then analysed and assessed on a project-specific basis, including the recreational suitability of the affected area. If necessary, measures are planned to compensate for the encroachment.

 

Visualization of the plant

Heinersbrück, west, graphic: LEAG
Heinersbrück, east, graphic: LEAG
Grötsch, graphic: LEAG
Heinersbrück, west, graphic: LEAG
Briesnig community square, graphic: LEAG
Bohrau south, graphic: LEAG
Mulknitz, graphic: LEAG

Approval procedure

  • in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act with public participation and environmental impact assessment (EIA).
  • Investigation of all relevant factors influencing the environment and the surrounding communities (including noise, shadow flicker, fire protection, stability, species protection)
  • Expertise of external experts and consultants
  • Submission of the application for approval: July 2021 to the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment

Added value for communities

  • Brandenburg wind power euro (10,000 euros annually and pro rata to the area of neighbouring municipalities within a radius of 3,000 meters)
  • nationwide opportunities under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (2021)

More information on the Forst-Briesnig II wind farm


Bohrau Energy Park: open-space photovoltaic plant

The Bohrau Energy Park is planned as an open-space PV plant on an approximately 400-hectare agricultural recultivation area of the Jänschwalde open-cast mine. It is to have a total capacity of around 400 MW. The project was presented to the city council of Forst (Lausitz) on 18 June 2021.

Project area

around 400 ha

Capacity

approx. 400 MW

Commissioning

planned from 2024

Planning area

Project area:

  • district of Spree-Neiße
  • city of Forst (districts of Bohrau, Weißwasser).

Current use:

  • recultivated post-mining areas of the Jänschwalde open-cast mine in agricultural use

 

Approval procedure

  • according to the German Building Code (BauGB), a development plan must be drawn up. This contains a plan drawing (Part A) and textual provisions (Part B) and is enacted by resolution of the city council of Forst (Lausitz).
  • in parallel, the land use plan must be amended in the corresponding area.
  • A building permit in accordance with the Brandenburg Building Code (BbgBO) is required for the construction of the open-space PV plant.

 

Added value for the municipality

  • additional income opportunities for the municipal budget from renewable energy systems.
  • eenewables as a building block for regional structural development: supply opportunities for companies with green electricity and hydrogen on site, new regional value chains.

 

Cooperation with farmers

  • agreements on the use of partial areas for the open space PV system
  • awarding of contracts in connection with the management and maintenance of the areas
  • upgrading of the area with species and nature conservation measures (including flowering strips, preservation and addition of wood structures, wildlife corridor, orchard.

 


Solar park "Deponie Jänschwalde I"

The „Deponie Jänschwalde I“ solar park is planned as an open-space photovoltaic plant on a 40-hectare slope of the disused landfill section A of the Jänschwalde I ash landfill. It is to have a total output of about 31 MW. Commissioning of the open-air plant is planned for 2023/24.

Planning area

Project area:

  • district of Spree-Neiße
  • city of Forst (district of Weißagk)
  • community of Wiesengrund (Gosda district)

Current use:

  • landfill section A of the Jänschwalde I ash landfill in the decommissioning phase.
  • succession area with the recultivation objective forest

 

Approval procedure

  • amendment of the waste management planning approval of the Jänschwalde I landfill site with concentration regarding forest conversion procedures, nature conservation, building permit
  • interim use of the landfill by the PV plant with deconstruction in 2049 to complete the succession process by 2080
  • The town of Forst (Lausitz) and the municipality of Wiesengrund are involved as public authorities (TöB)

Nominal power

approx. 31 MW

Annual generation

approx. 30,000 MWh

Commissioning

2023/24 planned

Foundation on landfill slopes

For the foundation of elevations of the module tables, different techniques can be considered, which have to be assessed depending on the landfill technical requirements, especially the functional preservation of the surface sealing.

Therefore, the foundation is made using a specially designed mounting system on a so-called anchor. This "treesystem foundation" uses a double-post foundation as well as inclined inserts.

Concrete and piling machines are not used.


Open-space photovoltaic plant "Solarpark Kraftwerk Boxberg

The Boxberg power plant solar park is planned on an approximately 33-hectare agricultural recultivation area of the Nochten open-cast mine. It is to have a total capacity of approx. 24 MW.

 

Planning area

Project area:

  • District of Görlitz, municipality of Boxberg / O.L.

Current use:

  • Recultivated post-mining areas of the Nochten open-cast mine in agricultural use.
  • Project area around 33 hectares; near-natural design of the PV park, including visual protection plantings, flower strips and preservation of existing biotope structures such as orchards.
  • Cooperation with farmers on land use, extensive cultivation and maintenance.

Project area

approx. 33 ha

Power output

approx. 24 MW

Commissioning

2023/24 planned

Approval procedure

  • According to the German Building Code (BauGB), the preparation of a development plan is required. This contains a plan drawing (Part A) and textual provisions (Part B) and is enacted by resolution of the municipal council meeting of the municipality of Boxberg / O.L..
  • The concrete planning of the area including the location of the modules will be worked out in the development plan procedure. The development plan also includes an environmental report in which the effects on humans and nature are examined (e.g. immission, recreational function of the landscape).
  • In parallel, the land use plan must be amended in the corresponding area.
  • A building permit in accordance with the Saxon Building Code (SächsBO) is required for the construction of the ground-mounted PV plan

Böhlen IAA solar park

  • nominal capacity: approx. 17 MW
  • annual production: approx. 17,600 MWh
  • project area: District of Leipziger Land, town of Böhlen
  • b-planned area: approx. 31 hectares of recultivated partial area of the former industrial tailings pond (IAA) east exit Böhlen; currently mostly open land and succession areas as well as forest growth
  • commissioning: planned for 2023

Hirschfelde solar park

  • ground-mounted solar plant
  • nominal capacity: approx. 20 MW planned
  • project area: District of Görlitz, town of Zittau, Hirschfelde district
  • approx. 20 hectares; former power plant site; industrial and commercial area, no cultivation
  • commissioning: planned for 2024

Dissen-Striesow solar park

  • open-space solar plant
  • nominal capacity: approx. 200 MW planned
  • annual production: approx. 220,000 MWh
  • approx. 200 hectares of land in agricultural use
  • cooperation with the farmer on land use, extensive cultivation & maintenance
  • upgrading of the area with species and nature conservation measures (e.g. flowering strips, visual protection plantings, open areas for open and semi-open land species, wildlife corridor, meadow orchard)
  • commissioning: planned for 2025

Hühnerwasser and Wolkenberg solar park

  • ground-mounted solar plant
  • nominal capacity: approx. 300 MWpeak planned
  • annual production: approx. 300,000 MWh
  • project area: Spree-Neiße district; town of Spremberg
  • about 350 hectares of agricultural land in the recultivation area of the Welzow-Süd open-cast mine, consisting of four sub-areas Ecological upgrading of the area for the benefit of regional biodiversity in combination with measures for the preservation and further development of existing biotopes and plantings (including flower strips, open areas for open and semi-open land species, wildlife corridors)
  • commissioning: planned for 2026

Cottbus East Wind Farm

  • wind farm with four wind turbines in the north-eastern fringe area of the future Cottbus East lake
  • nominal capacity: 24 MW planned, 6 MW per turbine
  • annual production: approx. 60,000 MWh
  • contribution to the energy concept of the CO2-neutral Cottbus Baltic model region (also includes LEAG's planned floating PV plant and the use of lake thermal energy)
  • reforested recultivation area under LEAG's mining responsibility
  • total height of the plants: 249 metres each
  • sommissioning: planned for 2025

Energy park Drebkau

  • ground-mounted solar plants
  • nominal capacity: approx. 103 MW divided into two PV sub-areas planned
  • project area: Jehserig district of the town of
  • approx. 120 hectares of post-mining land of the Welzow-Süd open-cast mine in agricultural recultivation, managed by Rösch Terra GmbH and Agrargenossenschaft Drebkau eG
  • start of construction planned for 2024

Our plants

Welzow III PV Park

The "Welzow III" photovoltaic plant with a generation capacity of 10 megawatts went into operation at the end of 2019 on our land at Welzow airfield. It was developed by juwi AG and is the third plant of its kind on the terrain there. It is being marketed via LEAG energy cubes. Together with the start-up DENKweit from Halle, we successfully subjected the plant to an initial quality check.

Seitenblickblog | 2020-06-01

(only in German)

PV Park Zschornewitz

Zschornewitz was once home to one of the oldest power plants in Germany. It went into operation in 1915 and was shut down in 1992. Now electricity is once again being produced at the site on 5 ha - this time CO2-free. The PV park has a generation capacity of 4.5 MW. This means that, in purely mathematical terms, it can supply around 1,150 four-person households with green electricity. The project was planned by EP New Energies. Approval was granted in cooperation with LEAG's specialist departments. When it goes into operation in June 2021, LEAG energy cubes will take over operational management and marketing.

Roof systems Lübbenau and Cottbus

In 2020, two rooftop PV systems designed by EP New Energies went into operation: On the roof of the Spreewald Conference Centre in Lübbenau, 510 modules have been supplying around 70 megawatt hours of electricity since they went into operation in April. In Cottbus, 456 solar modules on an area of around 746 square metres generate around 125 megawatt hours of electricity per year. The building permit procedure, including static and fire protection inspections, was handled by LEAG's Permits Department. LEAG energy cubes has been responsible for the supervision of both plants since they were commissioned. The technology of the start-up Energiekoppler is also used in both buildings. With their intelligent Swarm Box, consumption and marketing can be optimised.

Seitenblickblog | 2020-08-19

(available only in German)


LEAG energy cubes

Do you own or operate energy plants yourself and are looking for the right electricity marketing product? The LEAG subsidiary energy cubes GmbH puts you in the best possible position on the energy markets with the help of virtual power plants. Take advantage of this opportunity for an individual offer.

for electricity producers

From subsidised direct marketing for new and existing plants to PPAs for over 20 plants and Redispatch 2.0 - discover our offers in the field of renewable energies. We offer municipal utilities, energy supply companies and supply associations complete solutions for the marketing of balancing energy.

More about the offers
for industry and commerce

With our offer for industrial and commercial customers, you can generate attractive additional revenues - individually adapted to your work and production processes. Take advantage of the flexibility of your plants and machines and use them profitably on the balancing energy market with LEAG energy cubes!

More about the offers
for electricity storage

Expand the application possibilities of your battery storage by participating in the battery pool of LEAG energy cubes! From the provision of primary and secondary control power to optimised charging management - we offer holistic service for your battery from a 360° perspective.

More about the offer