Leipzig shines in the sunlight: Germany's largest solar thermal system opened!

Leipzig shines in the sunlight: Germany's largest solar thermal system opened!

A real energy transition will be initiated in Leipzig in the near future. Germany's largest solar thermal system is now officially completed. This innovative system uses the power of the sun not to generate electricity, but to produce heat. Water is heated by a sophisticated system of solar panels that also act as heat divers. This heat reaches the households of the city's approximately 630,000 residents via a district heating network. Almost 14 hectares of space, almost the size of 20 football fields, are reserved for this purpose in Leipzig-Lausen. This means an impressive investment of around 40 million euros, of which 16 million euros were funded, as Friday reports.

The new solar thermal system, which has 13,200 collectors with a peak output of 41 megawatts, has the potential to significantly cover the city's heating and hot water needs from 2026. The system could handle a fifth of the heat requirement, especially in summer. In order to achieve this reduced impact on the environment, we not only rely on solar thermal energy; At the same time, climate-friendly projects such as an additional solar thermal system and a “power-to-heat” system are also being planned.

Technological advances and environmental protection

The innovative technology used here promises a lot: the vacuum tube collectors from the market leader “Ritter” are used, which enable fully automatic control. Based on solar radiation, the system operates efficiently and temperatures can reach up to 110 degrees Celsius. The heat is then routed to the end consumers via district heating pipes. It is important to note that solar thermal energy has a significantly higher efficiency than photovoltaics. While the latter only achieves a peak efficiency of 24% and “loses” three quarters of the solar energy, the efficiency of solar thermal energy is over 50%, with peak values ​​of up to 75%.

But it's not just the technology that's convincing, the environmental considerations aren't neglected either. Nature will return under the collectors - with unsealed areas, flowering meadows, fruit trees and mixed hedges. In addition, a flock of sheep will graze on site, which further contributes to the maintenance of the area.

A look at the future of solar thermal energy

However, things are not all rosy for solar thermal energy in Germany. The expansion figures are falling significantly: While 500 megawatts were newly installed in 2022, there were only 263 megawatts in 2023 and only 154 megawatts are expected for 2024. This development may seem bleak, but the state's renewable energy goals could bring new momentum. Funding initiatives such as the Building Energy Act (GEG) and the federal funding for efficient buildings (BEG) could provide incentives to build more solar thermal systems and increase their benefits.

Enthusiasm for energy is increasing in Leipzig, and with the country's largest solar thermal system, the city will soon be a pioneer in sustainable heat supply. This means all the more that climate protection and innovative technologies must go hand in hand in order to shape a sustainable future. Because one thing is clear: there is something to be said for a greener, more livable world.