Overview
Altenburg Kieswerk Solar Power Plant is a 4.4 MW solar PV facility in Altenburg, Germany. It contributes to the country's renewable energy expansion under the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
Altenburg Kieswerk Solar Power Plant is a solar photovoltaic facility located in Altenburg, Germany. With a capacity of 4.4 MW, it is a small-scale solar installation that supports Germany's transition to renewable energy. The plant is operational and feeds clean electricity into the local grid. Germany operates under the EU Renewable Energy Directive III (2023/2413), which sets a binding target of 42.5% renewable energy by 2030. The country also has its own national feed-in tariff system and grid-connection regulations that have historically driven solar PV deployment. This plant benefits from these supportive policies. The environmental significance of this solar plant lies in its displacement of fossil fuel-generated electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar PV has minimal visual and land-use impact compared to other energy sources, and its operation produces no direct emissions. The plant contributes to local energy independence and grid stability.
Environmental context
The Altenburg region in Thuringia, Germany, has a temperate climate with moderate solar irradiance, suitable for solar PV generation. The plant's location on a former gravel works site (Kieswerk) repurposes previously disturbed land, avoiding additional land-use impacts. Solar PV installations in Germany are subject to environmental regulations that address visual impact and biodiversity, but this plant's small scale minimizes such concerns.
Frequently asked questions
Altenburg Kieswerk Solar Power Plant is located in Altenburg, Thuringia, Germany, at coordinates 50.9796 N, 12.4985 E.
The plant has a capacity of 4.4 megawatts (MW), making it a small-scale solar photovoltaic facility.
The plant uses solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, which converts sunlight directly into electricity.
Germany aims to achieve 42.5% renewable energy by 2030 under the EU Renewable Energy Directive III. This plant contributes to that target by generating clean electricity and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Solar PV plants in Germany must comply with the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), which includes feed-in tariffs and grid connection rules. Environmental impact assessments address land use and visual impacts, but small-scale plants like this one typically have minimal effects.