On December 15th, 2011 Solarhybrid AG (Brilon, Germany) announced that it has secured a real estate agreement and planning approval for the use of a former military airport in Neuhardenberg, Brandenburg, Germany to build a 150 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.

Solarhybrid states that the site will be ready for construction by the end of July 2012, and expects to complete the plant in December 2012. This is Solarhybrid's second partnership with Airport Development A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark), following the Fürstenwalde project.

Project to represent USD 365 million investment

Airport Development will lease 340 hectares of the 700 hectare airport to Solarhybrid subsidiary sohy Neuhardenberg GmbH & Co. KG, which will carry out and finance the project development. The project will represent an investment of EUR 280 million (USD 365 million).

Solarhybrid notes that the site is flat and free of vegetation, which makes it ideally suited for conversion to PV generation. Part of the site will continue to be used for flights with a shortened runway.

In addition to the PV plant, Solarhybrid plans to move newly formed Solarhybrid Operations & Maintenance GmbH to the Neuhardenberg location, including its offices and warehouses.

Solarhybrid develops eight airport PV plants

Solarhybrid further notes that it is relying on the active support of Airport Development, which has partnered with Solarhybrid through the approval phase. Airport Development plans to develop other renewable energy projects at the site, including biomass and and wind generation.

Solarhybrid has developed a total of eight projects on former airports in 2010 and 2011, for a total of 218 MW.

2011-12-16| Courtesy: Solarhybrid AG | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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