From brown to green: Historical German lignite site converted to solar park

The construction of RP Global’s first German solar photovoltaic park has begun on one of Germany’s oldest lignite mining areas. The project is located in Harbke, a historic location on the former East-West border.

In its first phase, the Harbke solar plant is expected reach a capacity of 50 Megawatt peak (MWp). This is the first German project by RP Global, developed in collaboration with EPC MaxSolar.

Following completion of an extensive approval process, construction work has now begun on the former Wulfersdorf spoil tip in the district of Börde between Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony.

The PV plant is one of the most significant energy projects in the area. The district of Börde actively promotes the expansion of solar power, and Harbke been included in the ‘Global Sustainable Municipality Nationwide’ initiative as one of five model municipalities.

The aim is to systematically integrate Agenda 2030 and its 17 global sustainability goals (SDGs) into administrative structures.

The Harbke solar park is being built on an area that has been shaped by humans for a long time and is already crisscrossed by two existing power lines. Thanks to this infrastructure, the electricity generated in future can be fed into the grid efficiently and without the need for additional power lines.

Harbke is of historical significance when it comes to energy production – lignite has been mined there for decades. After World War II, the open-cast mine was divided and used as an important source of energy on both sides of the border. Following a decision by the municipality of Harbke to repurpose the area, green electricity will now be generated there.

A special circumstance is being considered in the construction: access to the project site runs along the former border, the so-called “death strip”. The border strip, left behind by the GDR border guards in 1989 and better known as the “Kolonnenweg”, is a listed historical monument.

Rigorous precautions are therefore taken to preserve the historical elements when delivering the park components to the construction site, the company said, adding that an expansion of the project is in the works.