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German transmission grid operator 50Hertz has officially inaugurated the 650 MW Witznitz photovoltaic park. It is located south of Leipzig, Germany. It is described as the largest solar power plant in Europe.
Witznitz Park has been built in the last two years on the site of a former lignite quarry. It covers a total area of about 500 hectares in the municipalities of Neukieritzsch, Böhlen and Rötha.
The plant produced energy for the first time in December 2023. It injects electricity directly at very high voltage while helping to maintain grid stability.
Europe’s largest photovoltaic park officially opened in Germany. Located on a former coal quarry
The plant has overtaken Iberdrola’s Francisco Pizarro park, due to be completed in 2022, estimated to be the largest in Europe. The photovoltaic plant in Spain has a capacity of 590 MWp and a grid connection of 553 MW.
Note that Turkey is home to a 1.35 GW and a 1 GW solar power plant, respectively, commissioned a year ago. But this is located in Asia Minor, at Karapınar in Konya province, so is not geographically in Europe. There is also an 850 MW cluster of 17 PV units in Spain.
In addition, Iberdrola is now working on a 1.2 GW project in Portugal. And a significant part of the giant solar investment is expected to be hosted by South-Eastern Europe, including Romania, where there is a 1,000 MW park project under development.
The new solar park in Germany consists of ten sections and 1.1 million panels. The first part of the project was commissioned in December. The site comprises:
- 500 hectares at the former Witznitz surface coal mine
- 150 hectares of adjacent land.
Photo Source: freepik.com
