GigawattFactory continues to grow

LEAG’s GigawattFactory is entering the next phase with one of Germany’s largest photovoltaic projects. Construction work on the first phase of Bohrau Energy Park is now underway. The solar park is being built on agriculturally recultivated land at the Jänschwalde opencast mine. Following preparatory work such as fencing, road construction and cable laying, installation of the photovoltaic system itself is now getting under way. The first construction phase will comprise a capacity of around 133 megawatts peak (MWp). A second construction phase is set to be realised in the coming years, further increasing the total capacity of the PV park.

The design of the solar park combines south-facing module rows with east-west orientations. Grid connection will be provided via LEAG’s own Heinersbrück substation, which was built this year to connect the two projects currently under construction – the first phase of the Bohrau Energy Park and the 105-megawatt Forst-Briesnig II wind farm. From there, the electricity will be fed into the regional distribution grid at the 110 kV level. By combining photovoltaics with different module orientations and wind energy, each with its own load profile, the grid infrastructure of LEAG and the responsible grid operator can be utilised optimally. Feed-in profiles are smoothed out and additional grid expansion can be avoided.

“With 133 MWp in the first construction phase and the planned expansion, Bohrau Energy Park is one of the largest solar parks in Germany. In combination with wind turbines and planned battery storage facilities, an energy hub is being created between Jänschwalde and Forst that demonstrates how large-scale renewable energy projects can make optimal use of existing grid capacities through coordinated interaction and thus drive the energy transition forward at low cost,” says Dominique Guillou, CEO of LEAG Renewables GmbH.

Flower strips, woody vegetation structures and wildlife corridors will be created on the project site to promote biodiversity and species diversity. In addition, targeted planting of flowering meadows for bees and other insects will further enhance biodiversity while also supporting soil development. The farmers who previously cultivated the land within the energy park area will continue to be involved in the management and operation of the energy park, including mowing. In this way, Bohrau Energy Park combines the expansion of renewable energy with the interests of a multi-purpose post-mining landscape. Completion of the first construction phase is scheduled for the second half of 2026.

The GigawattFactory is the overarching concept through which LEAG is establishing a new gigawatt-scale energy infrastructure in Lusatia – based on wind power, solar energy, electricity storage and flexible gas-fired power plants. This will result in an integrated energy system that enables a climate-neutral yet secure energy supply for the future. At the Jänschwalde site alone, the expansion potential amounts to more than two gigawatts of renewable generation capacity.