Shell Solar GmbH and Gesellschaft für Solarenergie (GEOSOL) announced they are to build the largest solar power station in the world, south of Leipzig in Germany. 

The solar power station will be built on a former lignite mine ash deposit near Espenhain. The free-standing array will comprise some 33,500 solar modules with a total output of 5 megawatts.

The solar power station is due on stream in July 2004. The power will be fed directly into the grid operated by enviaM Mitteldeutsche Energie AG, and will be sufficient to meet the electricity demand of about 1,800 households. The solar power station will save some 3,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Shell Solar has considerable experience as a prime contractor in the construction of solar power stations, and has extensive engineering expertise. In 1997 Shell Solar completed an installation at the Munich Trade Centre that is still the world’s largest roof mounted photovoltaic installation.

Shell Solar will be using high-performance photovoltaic modules of the new Shell SQ series in large-scale industrial production for the first time in the Epsenhain project. These solar modules are capable of handling high-voltage and deliver the highest energy yields. Siemens AG is supplying the inverters, the transformers and the medium-voltage connection equipment.

Shell Solar markets its products in more than 75 countries and has a workforce of 1,300. To date, Shell Solar has supplied solar cells and modules with a total peak capacity in excess of 350 megawatts. This corresponds to about one-fifth of the entire capacity installed worldwide. Shell Solar is part of Shell Renewables, a core business of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies.