Together with the open space photovoltaic project developer Enerparc, DB has put a new solar system into operation in Schleswig-Holstein – the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany. The solar system in the municipality of Wasbek covers an area of around 40 hectares.
The electricity generated is then fed directly into DB’s 16.7 Hz traction current network via the DB converter plant in Neumünster.
According to DB, modules with an output of 41 megawatts peak are expected to generate around 38 gigawatt hours of energy annually. This roughly corresponds to the electricity requirement of one day in the entire German traction power network.
With the commissioning of the plant in Wasbek, up to 18,000 tons of CO2 per year can be saved in the future, the rail operator noted.
“At Deutsche Bahn, we operate our own traction current network in Germany and already cover more than 65% of DB traction current with renewable energies. This puts us above the public green electricity mix in Germany, which is currently around 46%. In DB long-distance transport, travelers have been traveling with 100% green electricity since 2018. And by 2038, all DB traction current will be 100% green,” DB noted.