· The new solar installation will provide clean energy for up to 250 local households, with a forecasted reduction in CO2 emissions by approx. 360 tonnes a year
· Already under construction, the installation is expected to be completed in Q1/25
· SolarEdge DC-optimized technology key to delivering the energy yields to make the project economically viable
Munich, Germany – 13, December 2024 – SolarEdge, a global leader in smart energy technology, today announces a deal with German private investment company, Solarstrom Grebs GbR, to power a new 922 kWp community solar installation in Brandenburg. To be installed on a 0.7-hectare of previously unused land, the solar farm will provide up to 250 households in the local community of Kloster Lehnin in Brandenburg with lower cost, clean energy.
Located by the A2 Motorway, the community solar installation will comprise 2022 solar panels and be powered by SolarEdge’s DC-optimized inverter technology. Solar energy will be fed into the grid and distributed directly to residents, with CO2 emission-savings of approximately 360 tonnes a year forecasted. Already under construction, the installation is expected to be completed in Q1/25, with local installer Energiepark Brandenburg contracted to install, operate and maintain the PV system.
Gregor Wölm, Representative of Solarstrom Grebs GbR, comments: “We’re excited to realize this project as the solar system has been designed in such a way that it can supply large parts of the village with renewable energy in the summer months, without placing a burden on the grid. Particularly as this redundant land sits directly alongside the motorway, it is perfectly suited for installing a solar system. We’re forecasting very high yields from the system, with the option to add a storage system in the future. Thank you to Energiepark Brandenburg and SolarEdge for designing and optimizing the energy yield of the system.”
According to Thomas Wetzel, Managing Director of solar specialist Energiepark Brandenburg, the key to securing the economic viability of this project for the operator was ensuring high energy yields and reducing operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. As a result, Mr Wetzel specified SolarEdge’s DC-optimized inverter, with SolarEdge Power Optimizers attached to the underside of every pair of solar panels. Unlike traditional string inverters, should one solar panel be underperforming due to soiling or shading (module mismatch), then the rest of the solar array will not be impacted, ensuring maximum energy yields continue.
Mr. Wetzel adds: “When we received the brief, we knew that we could only deliver such high energy yields in a relatively small area with SolarEdge Power Optimizers. In our experience, SolarEdge’s technology generates up to 8% more energy than non-optimized inverters – over the system’s lifetime that’s a significant advantage for our customers – also commercially. To maximize the yield from the available land space, we had to design string lengths of varying sizes and reduce the spacing between each row of modules to the absolute minimum of 1.5 metres. As a result, only half the typical cable lengths are now required, which leads to further significant cost savings. This level of design flexibility is simply not available with conventional solar systems.”
To reduce operation and maintenance costs, SolarEdge Power Optimizers placed on each pair of solar panels allow Energiepark Brandenburg to closely monitor performance of individual panels remotely. Should one be underperforming, this allows the maintenance team to immediately pinpoint and remote troubleshoot the individual panel affected – saving maintenance time and cost, while reducing energy losses for the customer.
Robert Bruchner, Head of Sales and Marketing for Germany at SolarEdge, concludes: “We’re delighted to support this project with our power optimization technology, helping to produce more power to better support the grid, bring homeowners lower cost energy, and deliver more favourable economics for investors. As Germany continues its transition to Net Zero, community solar initiatives like these will play an important role in creating more distributed energy networks to ensure both grid operators and homeowners benefit alike.”
About SolarEdge
SolarEdge is a global leader in smart energy technology. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress. SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge DC-optimized inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system. Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, and grid services solutions.
Media Contacts
Dominique Pink
Incus Media
dominique.pink@incus-media.com
Justine Pedrioli
Incus Media
