Published on: March 27, 2025 / Updated on: March 27, 2025 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
The current boom in solar parks in Germany: expansion, locations and social acceptance – Image: Xpert.Digital
Solar parks of the future: Germany focuses on innovative solutions and citizen participation
Floating, steep, sustainable: How Germany is rethinking solar energy
Germany is currently experiencing an unprecedented expansion of solar parks in a wide variety of forms and at surprising locations. The diversity ranges from floating installations on gravel pit lakes to installations on 40-degree slopes in the Black Forest. While the country has already achieved its ambitious expansion targets for 2024, new approaches to public participation are emerging alongside technical innovations, aiming to foster acceptance. At the same time, competition for land with agriculture and issues of biodiversity remain important points of discussion. The following report examines the current status and challenges of solar park expansion in Germany.
The dynamic expansion of solar energy in Germany
Germany reached a significant milestone at the end of 2024: The annual expansion target for solar power plants was met ahead of schedule. A total of 13 gigawatts of new solar capacity was installed, and approximately 15 gigawatts are expected by the end of the year. This development is in line with the previous year's level and demonstrates the continued expansion of solar power in Germany.
Regionally, there are significant differences. Bavaria leads the statistics with 3.1 gigawatts – almost a quarter of the total new capacity – followed by Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia, each with 1.8 gigawatts. Particularly noteworthy, however, is that some northern German districts are at the forefront of solar expansion, even though solar irradiance is traditionally lower there than in the south. In districts such as Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Steinburg (both in Schleswig-Holstein), Friesland (Lower Saxony), and the Mecklenburg Lake District (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), more than 100 megawatts of solar capacity were connected to the grid.
The ambitions for the coming years are even higher: New solar power plants with a capacity of 18 gigawatts are to be built in 2025, and from 2026 onwards, this figure rises to 22 gigawatts annually. The overarching goal is to double the total capacity from the current 96 gigawatts to a total of 215 gigawatts by 2030.
Large energy companies like Vattenfall have significantly increased their investments in this area. The company plans to commission around 500 megawatts of solar power and 300 megawatts of large-scale batteries annually – primarily in combination and often in the form of agri-PV, which enables agriculture and energy production on the same land.
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Diversification of locations
Floating solar parks as an innovative solution
Floating photovoltaic systems, also known as “floating PV,” are a particularly innovative development. Germany’s largest floating photovoltaic system was recently inaugurated in Bad Schönborn (Karlsruhe district). With more than 27,000 solar modules and an installed capacity of 15 megawatts, it covers a good eight hectares of Lake Philippsee. The electricity generated primarily flows into a gravel plant on the lake, while surplus energy is fed into the public grid. The system produces around 16 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
A larger floating solar power plant is currently under construction on the Cottbus East Lake, Germany's largest post-mining lake. With a planned output of 29 MWp and an area of 140,000 square meters (equivalent to 20 football fields), it will generate approximately 29,000 MWh of electricity annually after its completion in the winter of 2024/2025 – enough for around 8,250 households.
This development demonstrates a remarkable transformation: where lignite was mined for decades, solar power is now being generated. For LEAG, the company building this plant, the project is a pilot project and could be the precursor to further installations on open-cast mining lakes in Lusatia.
Solar parks in extreme locations
Germany's steepest solar park has been built in the southern Black Forest, in the municipality of Fröhnd. With an average slope of 32 degrees and up to 40 degrees at its steepest point, the construction presented a significant technical challenge. The 4.2-megawatt plant, with its 7,200 solar modules, theoretically supplies 1,500 households with electricity.
The construction work required special measures: A forestry machine was used to transport the modules, securing the tracked loaders with the 1.2-ton pallets. Due to local conditions and weather, the holes for some foundations even had to be dug by hand.
This development refutes the assumption that there is a shortage of open space for solar modules in Germany. “The solar park in Fröhnd is an outstanding example that there is no shortage of open space for solar modules in Germany, as is often claimed by 'skeptics' of renewable energies,” explained project manager Karlheinz Fichtner of Altus renewables.
Solar parks along transport routes
The verges of highways and railway lines offer enormous, largely untapped potential. If the area to the left and right of the highway were equipped with photovoltaic panels within a 200-meter corridor, a solar park could be created that would cover the entire area of the city of Bremen.
According to estimates from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany has a potential of at least 72 gigawatts of installed capacity along transport routes. This corresponds to the current total capacity of photovoltaic systems in all of Germany and about one-eighth of the solar power capacity required by 2045.
The German Federal Government recognized this potential and in March 2023 adopted the “Modernization Package for Climate Protection and Planning Acceleration,” which emphasizes the greater use of the areas adjacent to highways and railways for the construction of renewable energy generation facilities. A key principle is that no new kilometer of highway should be planned without fully exploring the possibility of generating renewable energy.
Citizen participation and increased acceptance
Innovative participation models for greater acceptance
Public acceptance of solar parks is a crucial factor for the successful expansion of renewable energies. More and more project developers and energy companies are recognizing the importance of citizen participation and are developing corresponding models.
IBC Solar, a leading full-service provider of solar energy solutions, has launched a digital platform that allows citizens to participate in solar parks. The company enables financial investments even with small amounts, so that everyone can actively participate in shaping the energy transition.
"The energy transition should also be in the hands of citizens; we have been convinced of this from the very beginning. People want to contribute to clean energy production, and if this isn't possible through their own solar panels on the roof, then investing in solar parks represents a good alternative," explains Udo Möhrstedt, CEO of IBC Solar AG.
The first project within this investment opportunity is the Schnaid solar park in the municipality of Hallerndorf in the district of Forchheim. With a peak output of 6.5 megawatts, this solar park will supply around 7,000 megawatt hours of green electricity annually, saving 4,300 tons of CO2 per year and providing more than 2,000 three-person households with green energy for an entire year.
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Legal framework for citizen participation
At the federal level, project developers are currently only required to involve municipalities financially in the construction of wind farms and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems. However, some federal states have enacted their own regulations regarding additional citizen participation.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and, more recently, in North Rhine-Westphalia, there is an obligation to offer citizens an opportunity to participate in the construction of wind farms. However, these regulations are structured differently.
A recent study by the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM), commissioned by the Citizens' Energy Alliance and the German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Association, proposes a nationwide regulation. The proposal is based on the regulation in force in North Rhine-Westphalia, but extends it to ground-mounted photovoltaic systems.
This proposal includes the obligation of the project developer to submit a draft participation agreement six months after receiving secured building permission, following early consultation with the municipality and local citizen energy stakeholders. If the negotiations are unsuccessful, the project developer must alternatively offer local citizens the opportunity to purchase 20 percent of the company shares.
Municipal revenues and regional value creation
The financial benefits of solar parks are not limited to operators and investing citizens, but also extend to municipalities. One example of this is SachsenEnergie, which provides municipalities with financial participation in its ground-mounted photovoltaic systems.
All municipalities in Germany on whose territory a SachsenEnergie photovoltaic open-field plant is located receive 0.2 cents for every kilowatt-hour of electricity generated. The municipal utility pays this voluntary levy in full.
For the municipalities, this means significant additional revenue: A solar park with a capacity of 10 MWp can generate approximately €20,000 per year. In total, SachsenEnergie pays around €300,000 annually in municipal taxes.
“Those who support the energy transition should also benefit financially. That’s why we’re using the opportunities offered by the EEG (Renewable Energy Sources Act) and involving municipalities financially in renewable energy plants through the so-called municipal levy,” emphasizes SachsenEnergie CFO Dr. Axel Cunow.
Such financial participation models can significantly increase the acceptance of solar parks in communities and contribute to a fairer distribution of the economic benefits of the energy transition.
Challenges and controversies
Land competition with agriculture
Despite the many positive developments, the use of agricultural land for solar parks remains a controversial issue. Critics, including the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) Brandenburg, warn of an irretrievable loss of agricultural land and demand that arable land should primarily serve food and feed production.
The conflict is particularly evident in the case of a Brandenburg farmer who wants to lease 120 hectares of his fields for the construction of a photovoltaic system. For him, this means secure income for the next 30 years, independent of the weather and fluctuations in the agricultural markets. After years of crises – from falling milk prices and droughts to rising energy prices – leasing seems to him an economically sensible alternative.
The sharp drop in solar panel prices has meant that photovoltaic systems are now profitable even without subsidies. This has triggered a veritable rush of investors onto agricultural land, opening up new sources of income for farmers, but at the same time raising concerns about the long-term consequences for food production.
Biodiversity and sustainable land use
An important approach to resolving this conflict is the development of solar parks that promote biodiversity and integrate sustainable land-use concepts. The "Good Solar Parks" initiative has developed a voluntary commitment that allows for various biotope types within solar parks, provided that the location, solar park concept, and size permit.
“Biodiversity-based photovoltaics” can achieve the diversification desired by many farmers through economically viable and comparatively space-saving solar parks. This, in turn, frees up land for productive agriculture.
Other positive side effects of this approach include the positive impact of increased biodiversity in solar parks on adjacent areas, contributions to erosion prevention, soil recovery, possibly humus build-up and groundwater protection.
An example of this sustainable approach is the solar park in the southern Black Forest, where the Schönau electricity company plans to have sheep graze the areas under and beside the solar panels. In addition, refuges and nesting sites for reptiles, birds, and bats will be created, and the areas outside the fence will be developed as low-nutrient grassland.
Germany as a hotspot: The future of solar parks
The expansion of solar parks in Germany is progressing at an impressive pace and is increasingly taking on innovative forms. From floating installations on gravel pit lakes to solar parks on extremely steep slopes and installations along transport routes – the diversity of locations demonstrates the adaptability of this technology.
Current developments demonstrate that Germany is well on its way to achieving its ambitious renewable energy expansion targets. By 2030, installed solar capacity is projected to more than double from the current 96 gigawatts to 215 gigawatts. However, this will still require considerable effort and innovative solutions.
For the long-term success of solar energy, it will be crucial to further strengthen citizen participation and create uniform framework conditions. Financial participation models for municipalities and citizens are already showing positive effects on the acceptance of solar parks.
At the same time, the conflict between photovoltaic use and agriculture must be mitigated through intelligent concepts such as agri-PV and biodiversity-PV. These approaches enable dual use of land and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity.
The utilization of previously overlooked potential, such as the verges of transport routes, will likely receive even greater attention in the future. With an estimated 72 gigawatts of potential installed capacity, these areas offer enormous opportunities for the further expansion of solar energy without competing with agricultural use.
Germany is demonstrating that, despite its geographical location, it can be an “unexpected hotspot for solar energy.” This development is an important contribution to the energy transition and climate protection – and will be further advanced by innovative technologies, smart land-use concepts, and broad public participation.
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