German developer nears approval for 104-MWp PV project on agricultural land

German solar developer PV Projektentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (PV PEG) is close to getting approval for the construction of a 104-MWp solar project on agricultural land in northern Germany.

The company has received a positive decision on approving a deviation from the spatial planning of the state of Mecklenburg Vorpommern, thus overcoming a major hurdle on the way to the construction approval.

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Under state law, solar parks on agricultural land can be built only in an area of up to 110 metres on either side of federal roads, motorways and railways. However, the state government has set certain criteria that allow a deviation from spatial planning. The solar project in the Borrentin municipality, developed by PV PEG, meets these criteria, including municipal and citizen participation, investment in rural areas, and having the company headquarters located in the same municipality.

The solar park will be built on behalf of solar and wind farm operator Encavis AG (ETR:ECV) and part of the electricity produced will be used for the production of about 1,500 tonnes of green hydrogen annually at the site. For this purpose, Encavis has signed a letter of intent with PV PEG's partner, Rostock-based renewables company East Energy GmbH, for a power supply that will be used for the electrolysis process.

Commenting on the achieved milestone, PV PEG's managing director Sven Baensch said that a resolution on the development plan procedure in the municipality is expected shortly and this will be a step towards the realisation of the hydrogen and biomethanol production project in cooperation with East Energy.

East Energy was set up to build and operate ground-mounted solar parks across northern Germany. It also builds and operates bio-methanol power plants that use hydrogen and CO2-recovery to produce bio-methanol on-site.