The largest floating photovoltaic system in Germany was inaugurated on Monday in Bad Schönborn, northwest of Stuttgart.
The more than 27,000 solar panels with a maximum power of 15 megawatts are spread over more than eight hectares on the Philippsee, an artificial lake created from a gravel quarry.
The operator, Nexentury, said the system had been in operation since August 1, supplying electricity to the lakeside gravel factory, with excess power going into the grid.
The goal is to generate approximately 16 million kilowatt hours per year. Planned since 2021, construction began in mid-February.
“We must utilize all available potential for the energy transition to succeed, and this also applies to floating photovoltaic systems,” Baden-Württemberg Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann said.
The state would continue to create the conditions for the success of these types of projects, he added.
The solar project is the third of its kind in the southwestern state. Flooded gravel pits are considered good locations because gravel plants require large amounts of electrical energy. The use of the wells also avoids taking up land area.
