Saxony: Solar park planned on the brownfield site of the Reichenbach railway depot in Vogtland – Creative image: Xpert.Digital
Solar park planned in Reichenbach im Vogtland - From industrial wasteland to eco-model project
Solar park instead of standstill: New life for the Reichenbach railway depot
After years of disuse, the former railway depot in Reichenbach im Vogtland is now lying fallow, and there are concrete plans for its redevelopment as a solar park. This project joins a growing number of photovoltaic projects in Saxony, but, like other projects of this kind, it is meeting with mixed reactions. The company Chargus GmbH intends to acquire the site and develop it with a photovoltaic system. According to current information, the city administration has already held discussions regarding the project's feasibility.
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Historical background and current state of the railway depot
The former railway depot in Reichenbach looks back on a long history. The foundation stone for the depot was laid in November 1899, and in the 1930s it was one of the three largest in the Dresden Reichsbahn division. The legendary "Sachsenstolz" locomotives were stationed on the site, with up to 16 locomotives based in Reichenbach at any one time.
During the GDR era, over 1,000 people were employed at the Reichenbach locomotive depot, freight handling facility, and station. The depot played a crucial role in locomotive changes for interzonal train services via the border station of Gutenfürst to Hof. In 1970, it and its integrated branch facilities were even elevated to the status of a major locomotive depot. However, after German reunification, it was closed in 1999 and has remained derelict ever since.
As early as 2008, a Görlitz-based company had plans to build a solar park on the site of the former railway depot. At that time, Deutsche Bahn sold the property in May 2008. However, these plans were apparently not implemented, and the site remained unused.
Current plans for the solar park
According to current information, Chargus GmbH intends to acquire the vacant land on Greizer Straße and develop it with a solar park. The city administration has stated that it has already held discussions regarding the project's feasibility. Chargus GmbH is based in Reichenbach and operates in the areas of wholesale trade, IT, software development, and retail.
Specific details regarding the planned output or size of the solar park on the former railway depot are not apparent from the available information. Likewise, details regarding the project's timeline are still lacking. However, the city administration has confirmed that discussions have already taken place, indicating that the planning is at an advanced stage.
Regional significance and comparison with other solar park projects in Saxony
The planned solar park in Reichenbach is part of a broader trend in the development of photovoltaic projects throughout Saxony. Particularly noteworthy is the recently completed "Witznitz Energy Park" south of Leipzig, which, with a capacity of 650 megawatts and over 1.1 million solar modules, is considered Europe's largest solar park. The project was built on a 500-hectare former mining area and has been fully connected to the grid since the end of March 2024.
Reichenbach itself already has experience with solar power systems. In 2019, a 750 kWp solar rooftop system was installed on a dairy barn belonging to the Reichenbach Agricultural Cooperative, feeding electricity directly into the medium-voltage grid. This was VISPIRON's third project on cooperative property, following the installation of a 1000 kWp rooftop system in 2016.
These developments show that in Saxony, both large-scale ground-mounted solar installations and rooftop solar projects are being implemented, contributing to the regional energy supply. The planned solar park on the railway depot site would continue this trend.
Regional conflicts over solar parks: Dispute over interest and land management
While some solar park projects are successfully implemented, others encounter resistance. For example, the town of Reichenbach recently voted unanimously against a project by Boreas Energie GmbH, which planned to build two solar parks with a total maximum capacity of 38.25 megawatts along the Görlitz–Dresden railway line. The town cited the Upper Lusatia-Lower Silesia regional plan, in which the areas in question are designated as priority areas for agriculture and, in part, as cultural landscape.
Another example is a planned solar park near a nature reserve, which has raised concerns among local residents. Such conflicts illustrate that various interests must be weighed when planning solar parks, especially when it comes to rezoning land.
In the case of the planned solar park on the former Reichenbach railway depot, however, the fact that it is a brownfield site could increase acceptance. The use of such conversion areas for renewable energy is often viewed more favorably than the use of agricultural land.
Economic and environmental perspectives
Converting the disused railway depot into a solar park could offer both economic and environmental benefits. Economically, a previously unused area would be put to productive use, generating revenue and potentially creating local jobs. Environmentally, a solar park on a brownfield site could contribute to the local energy transition without requiring the use of agricultural land or natural areas.
For comparison: The 750 kWp solar rooftop system in Reichenbach produces enough electricity for more than 220 households and saves approximately 385 tons of CO2 per year. Depending on its size, the planned solar park at the railway depot could make an even more significant contribution to regional energy supply and climate protection.
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New paths for the energy transition: Making sensible use of brownfield sites with photovoltaics
The planned solar park on the former railway depot site in Reichenbach im Vogtland represents a potentially sensible repurposing of an industrial area that has lain fallow for decades. The company Chargus GmbH has expressed interest in acquiring the site and developing it with a photovoltaic system, and discussions with the city administration regarding the feasibility of obtaining permits have already taken place.
While details regarding performance, size, and timeline are not yet known, the project fits into the context of increasing solar energy development in Saxony, ranging from small rooftop solar installations to the largest solar park in Europe. Given the controversial discussions surrounding other solar park projects, the use of a brownfield site for renewable energy could meet with greater acceptance than the repurposing of agricultural land.
The further development of the project remains to be seen, particularly regarding the concrete planning, potential public participation processes, and the final decision on approval. In any case, it represents an interesting contribution to the discussion on the reuse of former industrial sites and the local energy transition.
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