Bad Salzungen, a health resort in the federal state of Thuringia/Germany, has ambitious plans: a 1.1 MWp solar power park, to be installed and ready for operation by the end of this year.

The ground-breaking ceremony on the premises of a former landfill took place on November 18. SunEnergy Europe GmbH, winner of the call for proposals, is confident to meet the December 31 installation deadline, which is important to obtain the 2011-feed-in-tariff-conditions.

The Hamburg based company looks back upon a long-time experience in PV-projects, many of them installed in challenging weather conditions. The solar park is an investment project by Neue Energien Bad Salzungen GmbH, formed by E.ON Thüringer Energie AG and the municipality of Bad Salzungen. SunEnergy Europe GmbH acts as general contractor for the turn-key-installation.

The health resort of Bad Salzungen takes a big step on its way to a climate-friendly future: According to yield simulations the solar power park will save about 600 tons carbondioxide compared to the use of fossil energy sources while providing electrical energy to meet the demand of more than 300 households per year. Additional benefit of the project is the fact that the former landfill for building rubble area now serves for a good and reasonable purpose.

SunEnergy Europe’s CEO, Dr. Hartwig Westphalen, points out the characteristic features of this project with regard to the future development of solar business: “There is an interesting shift with regard to the investors towards a greater number of protagonists coming from municipalities and public services. The role of photovoltaics as energy provider in daily life is increasing. We are very pleased to have E.ON Thüringer Energie AG, a representative of the established energy providers, among our customers.”