RWE, a German energy company, has announced plans to construct several photovoltaic (PV) systems with a total capacity of 86.5 MW in the Rhenish region of North Rhine-Westphalia. The new systems will be located east and west of the A44n motorway between Bedburg and Jüchen, on the site of the former Garzweiler open-cast mine. The company intends to have these systems operational by the end of the year.

The PV systems along the A44n motorway are expected to be connected to the grid by the end of the year.

This project is part of RWE’s broader initiative to increase renewable energy capacity in the region, with a goal of adding at least 500 MW of new solar and wind generation capacity. RWE is particularly focusing on utilizing areas along highways for its solar projects. "These projects not only benefit from faster approval processes but in most cases also enjoy a much higher level of public acceptance," said Katja Wünschel, CEO of RWE Renewables Europe & Australia.

RWE has already made strides in the region, having implemented various PV projects and even testing agrivoltaics in a demonstration plant nearby. The company operates a total of seven PV systems in the area, with four of these systems also integrated with battery storage solutions. RWE plans to continue expanding its solar projects in the region.

Lars Kulik, CTO for lignite at RWE Power, highlighted the potential of the reclaimed land surrounding the former open-cast mines. He added, "There is plenty of space in and around our opencast mines that we are also using for solar projects." The new solar plants will be built on recultivated land and will be connected to the existing grid infrastructure at the Garzweiler site.

This project represents a significant step toward the region’s energy transition, as former mining areas are being repurposed for renewable energy generation, contributing to the structural change of the region’s energy landscape.