Energy locations for the future

Solar-storage plants in the opencast mining region

There are numerous solar parks in operation in the Rhenish ligninte area, some of which have integrated state-of-the-art battery storage. The plants have a capacity of more than 100 MW in total. Further solar projects are in the planning or construction phase. The solar farms in the vicinity of the open-cast mindes area benefit from an optimal energy infrastructure with almost unlimited feed-in capacity already in place. In terms of the strategy for approval being granted for the projects, significantly simplified planning and zoning procedures are also an advantage.

RWE indeland Solar Farm as a lighthouse project for the region was commissioned after only 20 weeks of construction. RWE invested 11 million euros in the 1.4-km wide plant with its 26,500 modules. The project was in planning for just over two years before ground was broken – considerably less time than with similar projects in Germany. RWE is now continuing this success story with a number of further solar projects. In the Hambach lignite opencast mine, RWE operates two photovoltaic plants – one of them has an integrated battery storage system. The company has installed around 22,000 solar modules at the RWE Neuland Solar Farm, enough to supply more than 3,100 households with green electricity. Right next to it, the RWE Neuland 1 solar park has been constructed, which consists of around 65,000 solar modules. In total, the RWE Neuland solar parks in the Hambach opencast mine can supply 14,500 households with green electricity.

RWE is also developing solar projects in the area around the opencast mines. One example of this is the Bedburg solar farm, which was built on a recultivated area along the A44 motorway and started generating green electricity in September 2024.


Renewable energy in the Rhenish lignite area

Proof of how the energy transition is succeeding

RWE is planning and implementing a large number of solar farms on sites previously used for opencast mining. These projects are the result of several RWE Group companies collaborating and making the best possible use of synergies between them.

You can find detailed information on the various photovoltaic and battery storage plants on the individual project pages.

Map showing solar projects in the Rhenish mining area, detailing capacity and battery storage of each site as of April 2025.
To enlarge please click on the graphic

PV & Storage Garzweiler

Hybrid photovoltaic and storage system in Bedburg, North Rhine-Westphalia

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PV & Storage Jackerath

Hybrid photovoltaic and storage system in Bedburg, North Rhine-Westphalia

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Photovoltaics and battery storage Hambach

Photovoltaic facilities and battery storage projects “PV Hambach I” and “RWE Neuland 1 Solar Park” in the Hambach opencast mine, North Rhine-Westphalia

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“RWE indeland Solar Farm”

Hybrid photovoltaic and storage system in Inden, North Rhine-Westphalia

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