RWE has been awarded two new solar projects in the latest solar tender held by Germany’s Federal Network Agency, strengthening the utility’s renewable energy footprint in the Rhenish mining region.
The Manheimer Bucht solar farm in the Rhein-Erft district will deliver 17.2 megawatts (MW), while a 19.9MW extension to an existing project along the A44n motorway will expand generation capacity in the area. Together, the two installations are expected to produce enough electricity to power around 11,300 households annually.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals. Both projects are expected to be commissioned by the end of that year.
“These projects reflect our ongoing commitment to the energy transition in the Rhenish region, and we are keeping up the pace with the expansion of our solar portfolio,” said Katja Wunschel, CEO of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia. “We are already operating seven major solar farms in the region, some in combination with battery storage systems. For the two new solar farms we are also examining whether it will be possible to put battery systems in place.”
The Manheimer Bucht site, located in the southern section of the Hambach opencast mine in Kerpen, will include approximately 26,500 modules over 14.5 hectares—roughly equivalent to 20 football pitches.
RWE is also developing a separate 86.5MW solar array along the A44n motorway between Bedburg and Jüchen, due to enter operation later this year. An additional 19.9MW expansion is planned for 2026, utilising more than 30,600 modules on recultivated land at the nearby Garzweiler mine.
Earlier this year, RWE began construction on a solar farm near Niederzier, comprising 22,000 modules, which is expected to supply around 4,500 households once operational.
The company currently operates seven solar farms in the Rhenish region, four of which are equipped with integrated battery storage systems.