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 Cottbuser Ostsee
- Wind farm Forst-Briesnig II
- Bohrau Energy Park
- PV-Park Deponie Jänschwalde I
- Solar park Boxberg power plant
- further projects
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.
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
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
Designation of areas suitable for wind energy in regional planning
In Brandenburg, the regional planning communities are responsible for controlling the development of wind energy. They define areas for wind energy use in the form of suitability areas in sectoral sub-regional plans or integrated regional plans. There are five of these planning communities in Brandenburg, with the Lausitz-Spreewald regional planning community in southern Brandenburg responsible for drawing up the regional plans.
Regulations, investigations and measures
Wind energy is one of the most visible technologies in the landscape. Understandably, residents therefore wonder whether wind turbines near residential areas will affect their quality of life.
Residents have a special role to play when investigating the environmental impact of a wind farm. The relevant immissions are light sources, shadow flicker and noise (sound). External experts will examine whether the existing legal regulations and limit values for the Forst-Briesnig II wind farm are complied with. For this purpose, the licensing authority - the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment - defines so-called "immission points", which are the basis for representative measurements and forecasts. If an exceedance of applicable guideline or limit values cannot be ruled out, appropriate technical mitigation measures are planned, which later also become part of the permit. The operation of the wind turbines in compliance with the permit is checked by the State Office for the Environment.
Noise and sound:
- Regulation: Technical Instructions on Noise Protection (TA Lärm) and WKA Noise Immission Decree
- Procedure: Identification of significant immission locations with the highest protection requirement; in Briesnig and Bohrau, immission guide values of between 40 and 45 dB at night and 55 to 60 dB during the day apply, depending on the area category; the assessment of the impact is based on the total load (incident and additional load).
- Possible mitigation measures: aerodynamically optimised and adjustable rotor blades; operation of noise-determining turbines in noise-reduced mode; integrated computer system throttles the turbine when the limit value is reached.
Reduced speeds, non-reflective paints and sensor-supported shutdown as soon as guideline or limit values for immissions are reached - to ensure that the neighbourhood of wind energy and residential development succeeds, state-of-the-art turbines are used.
There are also defined immission protection regulations for the shadow cast by the rotor blades of wind turbines. According to these, a wind turbine must be temporarily shut down if its shadow falls on a residential building for more than 30 minutes a day and 30 hours a year. If it is foreseeable that the sum value for shadow flicker will be exceeded, the turbines are equipped with shadow flicker modules for automatic shutdown. The annual value for the actual shadow duration is then limited to a further eight hours.
Shadow flicker
- Regulation: WTG shadow flicker guideline
- Procedure: Identification of relevant immission points with the highest protection requirement; irrespective of the area classification, a maximum of 30 minutes of shadow flicker per day and a maximum of 30 hours per year or, if a shadow flicker module is installed, only 8 hours per year apply; the assessment of the impact is based on the total load (incident and additional load).
- Possible mitigation measures: Installation of a shadow casting module, which works with light sensors, takes into account the actual weather conditions and switches off the plant when the sum value for shadow casting is reached.
Lighting
- Regulation: Needs-based night lighting in accordance with the General Administrative Regulation (AVV) for the marking of aviation obstacles and the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).
- Measure: Lighting is only activated if movements in the airspace actually require it; no continuous "flashing".
For the approval and construction of wind turbines, the protection of bats and the so-called "avifauna" as a totality of all bird species occurring in a region is of great importance. This is ensured by nature conservation studies as part of the approval procedure for a wind farm. In preparation for the approval procedure for the Forst-Briesnig II wind farm, extensive mapping was carried out in accordance with the statutory provisions. The Federal Nature Conservation Act and the decree of the Ministry for the Environment, Health and Consumer Protection of the State of Brandenburg on the consideration of nature conservation issues in the designation of suitable wind areas and in the approval of wind energy plants are decisive here.
In addition to the breeding birds on the agricultural land on which the wind turbines are to be erected, the eyrie sites and main flight paths of disturbance-sensitive large bird species in the vicinity of the turbines also play a major role. Furthermore, roosting waters and feeding areas of migratory and resting birds in the vicinity are also included in the considerations. The bats occurring in the planning area, their habitat potential and their activity areas are also recorded.
The main focus of the nature conservation studies is to be able to derive statements on possible threats to birds and bats from the wind farm. If significant impacts appear likely, appropriate avoidance and mitigation measures are integrated into the permit application. These may include temporarily shutting down the wind turbines during periods when, for example, bats are particularly active.
Higher is better
Practice and the growing body of experience in the wind energy industry show that tall turbines reduce the overall risk of collisions. Turbines like the one planned in Forst-Briesnig II project further out of the activity zones of avifauna and bats. Thus, their rotor sweep is above the regular flight height of many animals.
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
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.
