Leipzig relies on solar power: 15 new photovoltaic systems are being planned!

Leipzig relies on solar power: 15 new photovoltaic systems are being planned!

In Cologne, one of the cities that is actively committed to the energy transition, photovoltaics is gaining momentum. The city currently produces around 2,300 megawatt hours of green electricity per year, which corresponds to the annual consumption of around 1,000 single-person households. These numbers illustrate what a good business solar power generation can be.

Fortunately, 38 new photovoltaic systems have already been installed on municipal buildings in recent years. A further 15 systems are under construction or in preparation for 2025. A particularly noteworthy project is the new system on the roof of the Kurt Masur School, which impresses with an area of ​​3,370 square meters and a maximum output of 99 kilowatts. Around 70 percent of the electricity generated is used directly on site at the school.

Effective cooperation for sustainable development

The initiative for this project came not only from the city, but also from the school community, consisting of teachers and parents. In addition, students engage intensively with sustainable development goals in a so-called future workshop. Small solar panels are also used here to charge tablets in the schoolyard. This creates practical awareness about renewable energy.

Through collaboration with Leipziger Kommunale Energieeffekt GmbH (LKE), the processes can be standardized and accelerated. In recent years, a maximum total output of 2.1 megawatts (megawatt peak) has been achieved with the new systems, and between 1 and 1.5 megawatt peak are expected to be added annually. Twelve to 25 percent of the electricity is used directly by the facilities themselves, the rest flows into the public grid.

Bigger plans and projects

The city of Cologne has around 3,000 roof areas that have been specifically examined since a city council resolution in 2020. Recent plans include a photovoltaic carport in the P+R parking lot at the Neue Messe with a target output of 1 megawatt peak. Such projects are important not only for electricity generation, but also for the goal of achieving a largely climate-neutral electricity supply by 2035.

Photovoltaics is on the rise in Germany, as the costs for solar systems have fallen by over 90% since the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) in 2000. These cost reductions are important for small and large systems, while since 2023 the installed capacity in Germany has reached around 82 gigawatt peak. An expansion to 88 gigawatts is planned for 2024, with a target of 215 gigawatts by 2030. This is crucial to reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

A PV system usually pays for itself in terms of energy after one to two years and avoids significant CO₂ emissions. If fossil fuels are reduced at the same time, it becomes clear how important photovoltaic systems are for the future of energy production.

And it's not just Cologne that relies on solar energy - photovoltaics also help reduce emissions and promote renewable energies in other parts of Germany. In 2024, around 49.6 million tons of CO₂ equivalents could be saved through photovoltaics in Germany. In order to advance the energy transition, both consumption-related rooftop systems and ground-mounted systems are important, but they can be built quickly.

Overall, it shows that Cologne and other cities in Germany are well on their way to making a sustainable contribution to the energy transition through photovoltaics.

For further information on the details of photovoltaics in Germany, take a look at the pages of Umweltbundesamt and Statista.