O&L Nexentury GmbH, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List Group, has been granted an advanced water management permit to construct and operate Germany’s largest floating solar photovoltaic (PV) park.
According to O&L, with an investment value of approximately N$350 million, the solar park will be built on the gravel lake of Philipp & Co KG in Bad Schönborn.
It will consist of over 27,000 PV panels and cover more than eight hectares of water surface area.
“O&L Nexentury plans to commence construction of the solar park in the third quarter of 2023 with the intention for it to be operational by the end of the year. The solar park is expected to create a PV capacity of 15 Megawatts-peak (MWp),” the company said.
Managing Director of O&L Europe and Co-MD of O&L Nexentury, Steffen Kammerer O&L Europe strives to be able to invest sustainably, highlighting that a sustainable investment in Europe yields returns for Namibia too.
“The returns from our European projects contribute to the overall success and sustainability of the O&L Group, and that, in turn, spurs the growth of the Namibian economy. On an international scale, by supporting Germany’s transition to green energy sources, we support the energy transition that is becoming global,” Kammerer said.
This comes after the permit, issued by the District Administration Office of Karlsruhe, marks the last requirement for the project’s implementation.
The advanced water management permit (“gehobene wasserrechtliche Erlaubnis” in German) was granted on 11 May 2023 to O&L Nexentury GmbH, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List Group.
The permit was granted from the District Administration Office of Karlsruhe, Germany, for the construction and operation of what will be Germany’s largest fully permitted and floating solar photovoltaic (PV) park at this point in time.
“The solar park will be built on the gravel lake of sand and gravel works company, Philipp & Co KG, in Bad Schönborn, Germany. With the necessary construction permit issued in February 2023, this permit – valid for 25 years – was the last one needed for O&L Nexentury to start the implementation phase of the project,” O&L said.
O&L Europe (fellow O&L subsidiary) and Phillip & Co KG are the co-investors of the solar project and about 70% of Phillip & Co KG’s energy needs will be supplied by this solar park, with the remaining energy going into the local power grid.
Implementation of this solar system will result in a reduction of about 11,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, O&L estimates.
“The solar park will cover approximately 15% of the water surface area of the gravel lake. Empirical research on the lake as an artificial body of water supports that the solar system will not negatively impact the ecosystems of the lake.”
Meanwhile, the construction and operation of the solar system will include a monitoring program to assess real-time water conditions such as oxygen and mineral levels, ensuring safe and sustainable operations.
Kammerer expressed his excitement for the pioneering project noting that O&L Nexentury has always focused on innovative and sustainable energy solutions.
“We aim to be pioneers in the field of renewable power generation. As an Independent Power Producer (IPP), this was an exciting move for the company. It currently presents a fairly small niche in renewable energy generation, but one that is needed and tailor-made for the transition in Germany towards green energy sources,” he asserts.
O&L Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme, also shared his enthusiasm noting that the achievement is a demonstration of O&L’s ability to compete on a global scale.
“We are thrilled to see a Namibian company, our company, making such significant inroads into the German market. It aligns perfectly with our O&L Vision 2025, which involves diversifying our income streams and strengthening our balance sheet,” he said.
Thieme noted that the project provides a natural foreign exchange currency hedge for the company’s income statement with the accomplishment being a crucial step towards O&Ls long-term financial goals.
The German government aims to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources, leading to an increase in investment towards renewable energy capacity.
