A solar farm with a unique design has been constructed in Kritzkow in Mecklenburg on behalf of antlike Solar, which is leasing the land underneath. Rather than pointing south as is often the case, its panels face east and west. This is because, as well as feeding into the grid, this particular solar farm also supplies a neighbouring hydrogen plant with renewable energy together with a wind farm. Being south-facing would have yielded a large amount of energy, especially around midday. Although the east- and westward alignment results in a lower peak load, it ensures a more prolonged and more even supply of electricity, which in this case suits the interaction between the various sectors.
Under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, GP JOULE was responsible for all aspects of system planning, for selecting and procuring the components, for commissioning service providers and for all construction measures, including getting the farm on stream.
Martin Kanitz
CEO of antlike Solar GmbH & Co KG
“Even as early as during the planning phase, GP JOULE gave us such good support that we’re now best placed to make use of the space.”
The unusual arrangement of the panels also required the construction team to work even more accurately than usual when driving piles into the substructure. This was because, perhaps obviously, the panels had to run parallel to one another in precise lines once they had been installed so that the cables could be laid as efficiently as possible. An on-site preflooder for a sewage treatment plant and a medium-voltage line running across the site also had to be integrated into the system’s design. Both of these had rendered the land unsuitable for modern agriculture, so the landowner was pleased to be offered a cost-effective alternative.
Its many years’ experience as a general contractor and extensive in-house expertise made GP JOULE the ideal partner for an energy project of this size. “Our partnership with GP JOULE was based on trust and focused on achieving our objectives from day one,” says antlike Solar’s Martin Kanitz. “We always felt that we were in good hands.”