RWE builds solar-plus-storage plants in Rhenish mining region

November 28 (Renewables Now) - RWE AG (ETR:RWE) is building two solar parks with a total capacity of 31.5-MWp that are combined with battery storage systems at the Garzweiler mine in the Rhenish mining region of western Germany.

Construction work has already begun on a 19.4-MWp solar project tied to a 6.5-MW storage capacity at the mine near the city of Bedburg in North Rhine-Westphalia, the German power major said on Friday. Parts of the substructure and the first solar modules have been already installed at the plant which is located below a wind farm, jointly operated by Bedburg and RWE.

A second solar park with a capacity of 12.1 MWp and battery storage of 4.1 MW is also under construction at the western edge of the opencast mine.

The two plants will feature more than 58,340 modules which are expected to be capable of producing green electricity for more than 7,250 households.

Both solar farms will be equipped with bifacial modules to maximise efficiency.

The commissioning of the two projects is planned for early 2023.

Additionally, RWE is preparing to connect to the grid another similar plant with a battery nearby the Inden mine which is expected to supply about 4,000 households. A fourth hybrid system is to be built at the Hambach mine.

All four photovoltaic solar farms with battery storage will be located in the Rhenish mining area and are part of RWE's plan to deploy at least 500 MW of green generation capacity in the region by 2030.