Renewable energies in Radevormwald: Solarpark Heide – Why 350 sheep are now working for the energy transition in NRW
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Published on: August 22, 2025 / Updated on: August 22, 2025 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Renewable energies in Radevormwald: Solarpark Heide – Why 350 sheep are now working for the energy transition in NRW – Creative image: Xpert.Digital
Small town becomes a solar giant: This project supplies 1,500 households with electricity
### Why 350 sheep are now working for the energy transition in North Rhine-Westphalia ### 8-million project: How this German company is decoupling itself from the electricity market ### More than just electricity: How this huge solar park protects biodiversity ### A role model for Germany? Family business invests millions in its own energy transition ### Record-breaking project in the Bergisches Land: How one of the largest solar parks in North Rhine-Westphalia was built in just 8 months ###
The center of the solar energy revolution
Radevormwald has become a beacon of the energy transition in North Rhine-Westphalia. The town in the Oberbergischer Kreis, known for its traditional industry and Bergisches Land flair, is currently writing a new chapter in its history: a consistent shift toward renewable energies. The focus is on the Gira Solar Park Heide, which is considered not only a technical masterpiece but also a symbol of the transformation of an entire region.
The project, which covers an area of 70,000 square meters, represents a paradigm shift in local energy supply. With an installed capacity of 8.96 megawatts peak, the facility is one of the largest photovoltaic power plants in North Rhine-Westphalia and impressively demonstrates how industrial companies can assume responsibility for climate protection.
The genesis of a pioneering project
The story of the Gira Solar Park begins with a strategic decision by the family-owned company Gira, which has been based in Radevormwald since 1905 and is one of the leading manufacturers of electrical installation technology and building systems technology. As a company that works with intelligent building solutions on a daily basis, Gira recognized early on the need to become a model for sustainable energy supply.
Construction of the solar park officially began on October 28, 2024, in the presence of Mayor Johannes Mans and numerous representatives of participating companies. The project was realized in close cooperation with Dortmund-based Apricus Solar AG, a specialist in commercial and industrial solar power plants.
The planning and implementation of the project demonstrated impressive efficiency. After just eight months of construction, the solar park was successfully commissioned on June 30, 2025. The official inauguration finally took place on July 31, 2025, at the same time that the family-owned company Gira celebrated its 120th anniversary.
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Technical innovation at the highest level
The technical specifications of the Gira Solar Park are impressive in their dimensions and efficiency. The heart of the facility is formed by 13,794 photovoltaic modules, each with an output of 650 watts. These modules are installed on 345 so-called PV tables, each 30 meters long and almost three meters deep. Each of these PV tables supports 40 modules and rests on 6,940 posts driven into the ground.
The original plan called for more than 20,000 smaller 450-watt modules. However, by using the more efficient 650-watt modules, not only was the number reduced, but the annual energy yield was also increased by 15 percent to 9.8 million kilowatt hours.
The substructure consists of hot-dip galvanized steel profiles with an impressive total length of 67 kilometers, as well as nearly 10,000 longitudinal and modular beams, which together extend over 45 kilometers. This massive construction ensures the stability of the facility for decades to come.
Sustainable construction and environmental protection
A special feature of the Gira Solar Park is its environmentally friendly construction. The chosen design prevents the ground from being completely sealed, allowing the areas to remain usable for flora and fauna. Energy manager Giancarlo Paasch emphasizes that this type of roofing can even be beneficial for biodiversity.
The green space is maintained in an innovative and sustainable manner. A flock of 350 sheep, owned by traveling shepherd Nico Stark from Wermelskirchen, grazes the areas between and around the photovoltaic modules. This natural landscape management completely avoids the use of pesticides and fertilizers and contributes to the preservation of the biodiversity of the extensive grassland.
In addition to grazing, mechanical mowing is planned twice a year to preserve the area's ecological value in the long term. This combination of technical innovation and ecological responsibility makes the Gira Solar Park a model project for sustainable energy generation.
Economic dimensions and investment
The total investment volume for the Gira Solar Park amounts to approximately eight million euros, although various sources cite figures ranging from six to eight million euros. This investment represents not only a financial decision for the family-owned company, but also a clear commitment to the Radevormwald site and to sustainable corporate management.
The economic benefits of the system are multifaceted. In addition to the direct cost savings from self-supplying electricity, Gira is largely independent of the volatile developments in the energy markets. Managing Director Dominik Marte explains that the company can operate completely self-sufficiently during the day, thus achieving both economic and ecological goals.
The system is planned to pay for itself over a period of six years. In addition, the surplus solar power will be fed into the public grid, supplying approximately 1,500 private households with sustainable energy.
Infrastructure and network connection
The solar park is connected to the two Gira plants on Dahlienstrasse and Röntgenstrasse via a specially laid power line. A total of approximately 240 kilometers of cable were laid to connect both the solar park site and the company's locations.
The crossing of a watercourse and Federal Highway 483 posed particular technical challenges, which were successfully overcome. The connection to the medium-voltage grid is established via two transformer stations, which convert the high-voltage power from the power plant into the ten kilovolts required for the distribution grid.
Climate protection impact and CO2 savings
The climate protection impact of the Gira Solar Park is impressive. The company was able to save almost 400 tons of climate-damaging CO2 emissions in just the first four weeks of operation. By comparison, this saving is equivalent to the climate protection performance of planting 540 trees.
Over the entire year, the system will reduce Gira's electricity-related CO2 emissions by more than 50 percent. This corresponds to an annual savings of 3,500 tons of CO2. The overall reduction is expected to be even greater in the future, as Gira plans to gradually replace technologies currently powered by natural gas with alternatives that can be powered by solar power.
Integration into the corporate philosophy
The solar park is an integral part of Gira's climate strategy and the company's sustainability strategy. Gira is committed to the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement and sees the commissioning of the solar park as an important milestone on the path to climate neutrality.
Gira's energy transition includes further planned measures. For example, large-scale heat pumps will replace combined heat and power plants for heating buildings, and compressors will replace absorption systems for cooling. This systematic transformation makes Gira a pioneer of the industrial energy transition.
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At the heart of this technological advancement is the deliberate departure from conventional clamp fastening, which has been the standard for decades. The new, more time- and cost-effective mounting system addresses this with a fundamentally different, more intelligent concept. Instead of clamping the modules at specific points, they are inserted into a continuous, specially shaped support rail and held securely. This design ensures that all forces occurring – be they static loads from snow or dynamic loads from wind – are evenly distributed across the entire length of the module frame.
More about it here:
Economic reason meets ecological responsibility: The success story of the Gira Solar Park
Regional importance and location factor
The Gira Solar Park has significance for the entire region beyond the company's boundaries. The Radevormwald city administration sees the investment as an important commitment to the location and a sign of the region's future viability. The city council unanimously approved the necessary development plan, thus paving the way for the project.
Radevormwald, as a business location, benefits from this flagship project. The city, which is characterized by small and medium-sized enterprises, predominantly in the service and manufacturing sectors, demonstrates its innovative strength and commitment to sustainable development with the solar park.
As the northernmost town in the Oberbergischer Kreis and one of the oldest towns in the Bergisches Land region, Radevormwald has a long tradition in the textile and metalworking industries. Today, small and medium-sized businesses dominate the scene, with Gira being the largest employer in the area with 1,700 employees.
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Intercommunal cooperation and other projects
The success story of the Gira Solar Park is not an isolated project, but rather fits into a broader regional strategy for the expansion of renewable energies. In September 2023, the municipalities of Halver and Radevormwald, together with the energy supplier Mark-E, signed a memorandum of understanding for intermunicipal cooperation in the expansion of renewable energy plants.
This cooperation makes the energy transition a joint project between the neighboring municipalities. Radevormwald's municipal utilities act as the operational contact in this collaboration, as they pool their expertise in energy-related matters.
The first concrete project resulting from this collaboration is the planned construction of a wind turbine on the site of the former ammunition depot in Halver, directly on the city border with Radevormwald. Further joint projects are being examined in both urban areas and are intended to advance the regional expansion of renewable energies.
Technological innovations and surveillance
The technical monitoring of the Gira solar park is carried out using state-of-the-art methods. As with comparable large solar parks, the inverters are continuously monitored to ensure optimal energy yield. This monitoring includes recording the direct and alternating current, as well as the direct and alternating voltage, of all inverters.
Additionally, parameters such as solar radiation, module temperatures, and ambient temperatures are recorded. This data makes it possible to assess at any time whether the system is functioning optimally under the given environmental conditions or whether there are any malfunctions.
The facility's security is ensured by comprehensive video surveillance and lighting throughout the entire site. This security infrastructure was installed during the construction phase and supplied with power before the solar park itself went into operation.
Role model for other companies
The Gira Solar Park serves as an inspiration and blueprint for other medium-sized companies in the region and beyond. The combination of economic rationality, ecological responsibility, and technical innovation demonstrates how companies can successfully contribute to the energy transition.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the project remained both on budget and on schedule. Project manager Dietmar Daszkiewicz reports some challenges, such as supply bottlenecks for transformers, but these were successfully overcome through flexible project management and alternative suppliers.
Transparent communication about the project and its results makes the Gira Solar Park a textbook example for other companies planning similar projects. Initial operating results confirm the forecasts from the project planning and demonstrate the reliability of modern solar technology.
State political embedding
The project fits perfectly into the solar policy of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The state government has set ambitious goals for the expansion of photovoltaics and aims to more than double installed capacity to at least 21 gigawatts and up to 27 gigawatts by 2030.
Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Mona Neubaur regularly emphasizes the importance of solar energy as an economically viable and ecologically necessary technology. More than a third of the total installed PV capacity in North Rhine-Westphalia was already added by 2023 and 2024.
The state supports the expansion through various funding programs, including progres.nrw – Climate Protection Technology, which also promotes open-space PV systems and innovative technologies such as floating and agri-PV. This political support creates the necessary framework for projects like the Gira Solar Park.
Potential and future prospects
The potential for further solar energy projects in North Rhine-Westphalia is immense. According to the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection, rooftop photovoltaics alone could generate around 68 terawatt hours of electricity annually – more than half of the state's total electricity consumption.
With the combined technical potential of all suitable areas, including open spaces, even 72 terawatt hours could be achieved annually, covering over 50 percent of total electricity consumption in North Rhine-Westphalia. This would result in CO2 savings of approximately 41 million tons.
The statewide NRW solar cadastre supports the identification of suitable sites and offers comprehensive planning assistance for citizens, companies, and municipalities. This tool highlights the enormous potential and facilitates the planning of new projects.
Challenges and solutions
Despite the success story of the Gira Solar Park, challenges remain for the widespread expansion of solar energy. These include regulatory hurdles, grid integration for larger systems, and the availability of suitable land in densely populated regions.
The state government is continuously working to improve the framework conditions. The second amendment to the State Development Plan has already significantly expanded the area available for the expansion of ground-mounted PV. At the same time, innovative approaches such as floating PV on gravel pits and agri-PV on agricultural land are being promoted.
Conclusion and outlook
The Gira Solar Park Heide represents more than just a technical facility – it represents a paradigm shift in energy supply and the business community's responsibility for climate protection. The project impressively demonstrates how medium-sized companies can contribute significantly to the energy transition through innovation and willingness to invest.
Radevormwald's success story demonstrates that the transformation to a sustainable energy supply can succeed not only in metropolitan areas, but also in smaller towns and rural regions. The combination of entrepreneurial initiative, municipal support, and state policy frameworks creates the conditions for further successful projects.
With the annual production of 9.8 million kilowatt hours of clean energy and the savings of 3,500 tons of CO2 per year, the Gira Solar Park makes a measurable contribution to climate protection. At the same time, it secures the company's energy supply and makes it more independent of volatile energy markets.
The impact of this project extends far beyond the city limits of Radevormwald and can inspire other companies and municipalities to take similar paths. At a time when the fight against climate change is becoming increasingly urgent, the Gira Solar Park demonstrates that economic success and ecological responsibility are not only compatible, but can actually reinforce each other.
The future of energy supply will be significantly shaped by such pioneering projects. With the Gira Solar Park Heide, Radevormwald has laid an important foundation for a sustainable and climate-friendly energy future and is paving the way for a successful energy transition at the local level.
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