In the most recent solar tender conducted by the German Federal Network Agency, RWE secured approval for two major projects in North Rhine-Westphalia. Central to this development is the Manheimer Bucht solar farm in the Rhein-Erft district, which will become a new large-scale utility project, alongside the planned extension of the photovoltaic site located along the A44n motorway. Combined, these two RWE solar projects in Germany will generate sufficient electricity to cover the needs of roughly 11,300 households in Germany with reliable and climate-friendly power. Provided building permits are granted, construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026, with commissioning expected by the end of the same year.
Katja Wünschel, CEO of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, explained: “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. 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.”
At present, RWE is progressing with the construction of solar plants totaling 86.5 megawatts peak (74.6 MWac) along the A44n motorway, between Bedburg and Jüchen. These installations are anticipated to enter operation before the end of this year. A second expansion phase, adding 19.9 megawatts peak (15.5 MWac), is planned for the following year. This extension will require the installation of more than 30,600 solar modules, positioned on recultivated land at the Garzweiler opencast mine in Jüchen. Solar farms planned at motorway locations usually have streamlined approval processes and generally command wide public support.
The Manheimer Bucht solar farm will be placed on the southern part of the Hambach opencast mine within the Kolpingstadt Kerpen municipality. The scheme will involve the deployment of some 26,500 solar modules over a 14.5-hectare site, an area roughly equivalent to 20 football pitches. The Manheimer Bucht solar farm, upon operation, will have an output capacity of 17.2 megawatts peak (14.3 MWac).
At present, there are seven operational RWE solar projects in Germany, in the Rhenish region. Out of them, four are equipped with integrated battery storage. In April, construction began on another photovoltaic system at the Hambach opencast mine near Niederzier, where more than 22,000 modules have been installed. This plant is scheduled to be commissioned over the next few weeks, generating power equivalent to 4,500 homes. A number of other solar photovoltaic projects are in the pipeline.