Published on: April 2, 2025 / Updated on: April 2, 2025 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
World's largest solar park Schornhof on a former munitions depot in Bavaria: From weapons to watts – Symbolic image: Xpert.Digital
How former military sites are paving the way for solar parks
From munitions depots to solar wonders: Solar parks on disused munitions depots
The transformation of former military sites into renewable energy facilities impressively demonstrates how brownfield sites can be used sustainably. In Bavaria, several remarkable solar parks have been built on former munitions depots, with the solar park in Hemau near Regensburg making history as the world's largest of its kind.
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The pioneer: Hemau solar park
In 2003, Hamburg-based voltwerk AG commissioned what was then the world's largest solar park in Hemau near Regensburg. More than 32,000 solar modules with a combined peak output of approximately four megawatts were installed on the site of a former munitions depot. The commissioning ceremony, attended by the Bavarian Environment Minister Werner Schnappauf, marked a milestone in the development of large-scale photovoltaic systems.
The output of this solar park was sufficient to largely cover the electricity needs of Hemau's approximately 4,600 residents. With an average of 1,229 kilowatt-hours of solar irradiance per square meter per year, the location offered ideal conditions for solar power generation. The project costs amounted to approximately €18.4 million, financed through a participation model in which private investors could acquire shares in the solar park.
The technical implementation was also remarkable: The solar park, unique in its dimensions, was completed in record time by the general contractor SunTechnics Solartechnik GmbH. Over 70 tradespeople accomplished this task in just 12 weeks of construction. The environmental impact was equally significant – the operation of the solar park was expected to prevent approximately 71,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 20 years.
Symbolic repurposing
The conversion of the former munitions depot into a renewable energy facility also has strong symbolic significance. Mayor Hans Pollinger summed this up perfectly, emphasizing that active climate protection begins right on our own doorstep. Instead of storing tons of cartridge cases as before, the site of the former depot now provides space for solar panels that will help secure a livable future for our children.
More solar parks on former munitions depots in Bavaria
Uttenreuth Community Solar Park
Another noteworthy project is the solar park on the site of a former US munitions depot in Uttenreuth. Led by the green energy provider Naturstrom AG, a solar park with a total capacity of approximately 7,200 MWp has been built here since 2014. Three citizen energy cooperatives are involved in this project, representing over 400 citizens who own shares in the plant.
The unique aspect of this project lies in the site's complex history: Since the area likely also served as a depot for nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, it had to be remediated. The application of clean soil ecologically enhanced the site and created a local refuge for flora and fauna. Furthermore, as a former US military site, the area was initially unincorporated, necessitating its incorporation into a larger municipality before the project could be realized.
Fuchstal Energy Storage
Solar panels were also installed at the former munitions depot near Leeder in the Fuchstal valley. After initial skepticism, the local council approved the construction of a ground-mounted photovoltaic system and the installation of solar panels on the roofs of several bunkers in 2011. This change of heart was attributed to the Fukushima nuclear disaster and Germany's planned nuclear phase-out.
Current developments: Schornhof solar park
The trend towards ever larger solar parks continues in Bavaria. In 2021, the largest solar park in southern Germany, according to the company "Anumar," with a power plant capacity of 120 MWp, was commissioned in the municipality of Berg im Gau in the district of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen. Covering a total area of approximately 150 hectares, this park generates around 110 gigawatt hours of green electricity annually.
Economic and ecological importance
Converting former munitions depots into solar parks offers several advantages: It utilizes already sealed or contaminated land, thus avoiding the consumption of agricultural land. At the same time, military contamination is remediated and the areas are ecologically enhanced.
From an economic perspective, such projects not only create jobs during the construction phase, but also offer long-term investment opportunities for citizens and businesses. For example, voltwerk AG financed the Hemau solar park through an equity investment concept with a projected return of 260 percent over 20 years.
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Current relaxations for solar parks in Bavaria
To further promote the expansion of solar energy, the Bavarian state government simplified the regulations for compensatory areas in the construction of solar parks at the beginning of 2025. In the future, project developers will generally no longer be required to plan and create compensatory areas if certain conditions are met. This is intended to accelerate the construction of the plants and reduce project costs.
Future from conversion areas: Bavaria's contribution to climate security
The conversion of former munitions depots into solar parks in Bavaria exemplifies the shift from military to civilian, sustainable use. The world's largest solar park in Hemau was a pioneer in this development and, as a flagship project, has inspired many imitators. The examples from Uttenreuth, Fuchstal, and Berg im Gau demonstrate that this path is continuing successfully.
With the increasing importance of renewable energies and the recent simplification of permitting procedures, it is expected that further former military sites will be used for the energy transition. These projects make a significant contribution to climate protection and energy security and demonstrate how power plants of the future can be created from converted areas.
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