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Leipzig's big turning point: Germany's largest solar thermal system is here!
Leipzig has completed Germany's largest solar thermal system, which will provide environmentally friendly heat for 630,000 residents from 2026.
Leipzig's big turning point: Germany's largest solar thermal system is here!
A significant step towards sustainable heat supply was taken in Leipzig. The largest solar thermal system in Germany is now completed and will be put into operation from 2026. This innovative system uses solar energy to produce heat, making it significantly superior to conventional electricity generation.
The finished system includes an impressive 13,200 solar panels, which achieve a peak output of 41 megawatts. This is intended to cover the heating and hot water needs of the city's 630,000 residents without greenhouse gases. According to freitag.de, solar thermal energy has an efficiency of over 50%, with peak values of up to 75% being achieved - in contrast to photovoltaics, which only offers a peak efficiency of 24%.
Investment costs and funding
The total investment costs for the project amount to around 40 million euros, of which 16 million euros come from subsidies. The construction company Ritter XL Solar used modern and intelligent systems to maximize the efficiency of the system. An algorithm controls heat generation by measuring solar radiation and regulating the flow speed of the water accordingly, as treffpunkt-kommune.de reports.
The facility is built on an area of 14 hectares, which is equivalent to almost 20 football fields. The high investment should not only make economic sense, but also ecologically: Nature is promoted under the collectors through unsealed areas and the creation of flowering meadows. Mixed fruit hedges and a pasture with sheep also contribute to ecological education.
Future outlook and further projects
The new solar thermal system is expected to supply up to 20% of the city's heat needs in summer, with an annual average of around 2%. Construction began in March 2024 and completion was scheduled for late 2025. In addition to this project, there are other climate-friendly initiatives in Leipzig, including an additional solar thermal system and a “power-to-heat” system, which are to be implemented in the near future.
This progress is particularly important as the expansion of solar thermal energy in Germany is declining. In 2022, 500 megawatts were newly installed, which fell to 263 megawatts in 2023 and only 154 megawatts in 2024. The success of the new system could serve as a model for similar projects in other cities such as Dresden, Potsdam, Mühlhausen and Greifswald, which are also planning solar thermal energy projects.
Through this groundbreaking initiative, Leipzig is not only making an environmentally friendly contribution to heat supply, but is also positioning itself as a pioneer in the use of renewable energies in Germany.