Hanwha SolarOne PV Modules Produce Green Energy on Contaminated Site
Global PV provider supplies 2.7 MW of modules to a PV park constructed on a former tar acid disposal site in Germany
[Ismaning, February 19, 2013] Hanwha SolarOne, a global provider of total photovoltaic (PV) solar solutions and flagship company of the top-10 Korean business enterprise Hanwha Group, has supplied 11.050 high-quality modules for a photovoltaic park on a former tar acid disposal site in Neukirchen, Germany. After 15 years of intensive remediation efforts headed by the Federal Government of Germany and the Land of Saxony, the site is no longer a source of air and soil pollution. Still, strict controls on areas that remain contaminated limit the future uses of this land. Building a PV park proved to be the most viable and beneficial use of the former disposal site.
“The plant in Neukirchen demonstrates how even contaminated land can be utilized to generate green energy,” said Anke Johannes, Director Sales Germany of Hanwha SolarOne GmbH. “Using remediated land for solar projects is also a profitable, future-oriented business strategy, as PV companies are constantly searching for more space to build energy-efficient decentralized production sites. As top-ten PV producer that embraces environmental responsibility and sustainability, Hanwha SolarOne is working with partners and customers to identify opportunities that maximize economic gain and ecological benefit.”
Adopting ‘Swimming’ Construction Methods to Meet the Area’s Challenges
Remediation specialist Baufeld was responsible for removing contamination from the site and preparing it for solar park construction. Baufeld has leased the land to solar investor K&W Natural Energy for 20 years with an option to extend. K&W Natural Energy is specializing in the investment, project development and operation of solar projects.
“In addition to sealed underground areas, the project site has steep hillsides and wetlands as well as tar and concrete grounds,” said Tobias Kahre, executive director of K&W Natural Energy. “But we were able to develop solutions according to the site's varied topography. We are very pleased that this challenging site will bring economic gains. Hanwha SolarOne contributed to the project’s success with responsive services and professional support.”
Due to the remaining contamination, the former disposal site has partly been sealed below the ground. Consequently, in these areas the solar modules’ substructures could not be fixed by drilling holes but had to be embedded into a concrete foundation on the surface – a “swimming” construction meeting the area’s many challenges.
The PV park was constructed within a few weeks and connected to the grid in November 2012. Hanwha SolarOne’s 11.050 solar modules will produce an estimated 2.5 million kWh a year, which is equivalent to the amount of energy consumed by 500 to 600 households.
About Hanwha SolarOne
Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: HSOL) is one of the top 10 photovoltaic manufacturers in the world, providing cost-competitive, high quality PV modules. It is the flagship company of Hanwha Solar, the solar business network of Fortune 500 ranked Hanwha Group. Hanwha SolarOne serves the utility, commercial, and residential markets for a growing network of third-party distributors and system integrators. The company maintains a strong presence worldwide, with employees located throughout Europe, North America and Asia, and embraces environmental responsibility and sustainability, with an active role in the voluntary photovoltaic recycling program. For more information, please visit http://www.hanwha-solarone.com.
About Hanwha Group
Hanwha Group, founded in 1952, is one of the largest business enterprises in South Korea and FORTUNE Global 500 company with 53 domestic affiliates and 78 global networks in three major sectors: manufacturing and construction, finance, and services and leisure. With a 60-year track record of industrial leadership, Hanwha’s manufacturing and construction businesses encompass a broad range of fields from basic chemicals and advanced materials to property development and total solar energy solutions. The finance network, covering banking, insurance, asset management and securities, is the second largest non-bank finance group in South Korea. The services and leisure sector offers premium lifestyle services with retail and resort businesses. For more information, visit www.hanwha.com.
About K&W Natural Energy GmbH
K&W Natural Energy GmbH – the name is the program. Founded in 2007 by entrepreneurs Dominic Kahre, Tobias Kahre and Christian Werner, the company has quickly gained international reputation as a pioneer in the field of renewable energy, in particular photovoltaic and solar thermal installation, in Southern Europe and all over Germany. The company’s headquarters are situated in bustling Athens, Greece, and the idyllic Preußisch Oldendorf, located on the foothills of the Wiehen Mountain Range in Germany. K&W Natural Energy’s solar reference parks in Stemwede and Getmold provide clean power to six hundred surrounding households while the Chemnitz project in the eastern part of Germany in collaboration with Hanwha Solar sets a precedence as the most ecological and profitable solution for a former toxic dump site, now providing clean, affordable energy to six hundred households in and around Chemnitz. For more information, please visit www.kw-energy.de
For further information:
Hanwha Presseservice
Tel.: +49 (0)89 / 413 01 753
E-Mail: HanwhaGermany@arpartners.com
A&R GmbH
Landshuter Allee 10
D-80637 München
Lena Berg
PR Manager
Hanwha Solar
Tel: +49 (0)89 / 2175 667 393
E-Mail: lena.berg@hanwha-solarone.de
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