German energy company LEAG and its partner EP New Energies (EPNE) have commenced the construction of what they assert will be the largest floating solar park in Germany. The 29-megawatt peak (MWp) facility is slated to be established on the Cottbuser Ostsee lake in Brandenburg.
According to LEAG's announcement on Friday, the photovoltaic (PV) array will be situated on the surface of Germany's largest artificial lake, which was formed at the site of a former open-cast lignite mine.
The project entails the installation of more than 51,000 solar modules atop approximately 1,800 floating bodies over the coming months. These “solar boats,” as they are termed, will be affixed, along with the pre-assembled modules, to 34 dolphins that will serve as anchors for the system.
Once operational, the floating PV park is expected to produce approximately 29,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually, catering to the power needs of around 8,250 households.
Spanning 16 hectares of the water surface, the solar arrays will cover approximately 1% of the total lake area. The project is scheduled to come online during the winter season of 2024/2025.
