Athos Solar is big on local value creation, a policy the company again pursued with this plant. Spanish enterprises provided all services as well as the central inverters and the substructure of single-axis trackers.

Vicente Zaragozá, Managing Director of Grupo Zaragozá, is no less pleased with the project’s success story: “We have been working with Athos Solar for many years and are delighted to have been again entrusted with the building of a solar park, their first in Spain. Despite the sundry challenges of recent months, we have successfully connected the plant to the grid in a joint effort with Athos Solar. I believe the short decision-making processes and hands-on mindset at Athos Solar and at our company were key factors for this plant development and construction project’s successful completion.” The two partner companies aim to team up again to build more photovoltaic plants in Spain. “Subsidy-free solar power is the next step towards a broad-scale, climate-friendly energy supply,” says Christian Linder. “We want to continue on this path, particularly in Spain, one of the most attractive growth markets for photovoltaics.”

About Athos Solar

Athos Solar GmbH, based in Heidelberg, is a medium-sized project developer and investor of large-scale green field photovoltaic installations. Athos Solar first realizes the plants itself or in close cooperation with final investors. Here, Athos Solar is responsible for all stages of the process, from sourcing, structuring as well as financing the projects, through to turnkey-ready construction of the photovoltaic installation. For more information online, see www.athos-solar.com.

Press contacts:

Christian Linder

Athos Solar GmbH

Phone: +49 (0) 6221 33 88 643

E-Mail: c.linder@athos-solar.de

Svenja Bredow

Solar Consulting GmbH

PR Consultant

Phone: +49 (0) 761 3806 68-26

E-Mail: bredow@solar-consulting.de

Athos Solar realises a large-scale subsidy-free project with over 105,000 modules

In the southern Spanish province of Castile-La Mancha, construction began at the end of October 2019 on a large-scale photovoltaic installation on a 90-hectare green field site. With over 105,000 PV modules, the solar park will generate over 80 million kilowatt hours of climate-friendly power every year. This corresponds to the electricity consumed by around 22,600 three-person households. The subsidy-free photovoltaic plant is being built by the German company Athos Solar GmbH. “The solar power generated saves around 41,500 tonnes of CO2 every year,” explains Christian Linder, Managing Director of the photovoltaic company. According to the project plan, the 40-megawatt peak installation will be connected to the grid in the spring of 2020, after a construction period of around six months.

Due to a decrease in investment costs and high solar irradiation, the electricity market in Spain is one of the first where photovoltaics is cheaper than all other forms of power generation. “Southern Spain is one of the regions in Europe with the highest level of solar irradiation. The solar power yields are correspondingly high and make photovoltaic plants a very good, sustainable infrastructure investment,” says Christian Linder. The yield is further increased by using monocrystalline photovoltaic modules, which have a high degree of efficiency. The modules are also installed on tracking systems. The single-axis trackers follow the path of the sun. As a result, the yields can be increased by around 25 percent. The solar park, which will be installed on an area that is the equivalent of around 130 football fields near the town of Albacete is the first to be built by Athos Solar in Spain.

Fast project completion and short construction phase

The plan is to complete the construction of the entire plant by the second quarter of 2020. “Our strategy is to use short internal decision-making paths and our long-term collaboration with the general contractor who developed the project and is constructing the photovoltaic plant,” explains Christian Linder, with reference to the period of just one year between the purchase of the project rights and the planned grid connection.

The solar plant will initially be connected to the public power grid via a private 132-kilovolt (kV) transformer substation and then via a 400 kV transformer substation that is part of the public infrastructure. The 400 kV transformer substation has the largest transformer currently installed in Spain. Over time, renewable energy plants with an installed capacity of 800 megawatts in total will be connected to it. The large solar park is located in part of an area specifically developed for the use of renewable energies.

Subsidy-free plant

Following plant commissioning, the Heidelberg-based company plans to sell the solar park to institutional investors. The construction and operation of the completed green field installation will be funded through the sale of the generated power on the electricity exchange, or via a long-term power supply contract (Power Purchase Agreement) between a power consumer and the plant operator. In both cases, the revenue received from the sale offers an attractive return on the invested capital, even without subsidies. The solar park in Spain is the first grid parity project by the German company. “Renewable energy plants only start to play a key role in energy supply when the investment and operation makes sense financially. We regard subsidy-free photovoltaic plants as the next step in the transition of energy markets and the fight against climate change,” explains Christian Linder.

Since its inception 10 years ago, Athos Solar has built over 25 photovoltaic plants, including plants in Germany and Britain. The solar parks are usually built on disused sites or former agricultural land with poor soil quality. Some of them are now also used as grazing land. The Spanish solar park in Castile-La Mancha also offers a large area for targeted environmental protection measures such as species protection and reforestation programmes, as well as space for the photovoltaic installation. Overall, the environmental protection area covers an area of 75 hectares.

Athos Solar plans to further expand its activities in Spain in the future and is currently in discussions to purchase additional project rights. Due to the target communicated by the Spanish government of obtaining the country’s entire energy supply from renewable energies by 2050, the high level of solar irradiation and the availability of suitable sites, Athos Solar considers the Spanish solar market as attractive growth market in the years to come.

Athos Solar

Athos Solar GmbH, based in Heidelberg, is a medium-sized project developer and investor of large-scale green field photovoltaic installations. Athos Solar first realizes the plants itself or in close cooperation with final investors. Here, Athos Solar is responsible for all stages of the process, from sourcing, structuring as well as financing the projects, through to turnkey-ready construction of the photovoltaic installation. For more information online, see www.athos-solar.com.

Press contacts:

Christian Linder
Athos Solar GmbH
Phone: 06221 33 88 643
c.linder@athos-solar.de

Svenja Bredow
Solar Consulting GmbH
PR Editor
Phone: 0761 3806 68-26
bredow@solar-consulting.de

The largest, and with 6 MWp also the most powerful facility lies in Caswell near Yeovil, County Somerset. In late March the ten-hectare park, installed on former farmland, commenced operation. The end of the first quarter of 2016 also saw the addition of two further facilities with 5 MWp output each: an eight-hectare park was erected in Gilleys Dam near St. Austell, County Cornwall, on a former waste disposal site. Its sister park in Peterlee near Newcastle upon Tyne, close to the Scottish border, is the same size, and both deliver power directly to nearby industrial customers: solar energy from Peterlee is supplied to a major construction equipment manufacturer, while the electricity produced in Gilleys Dam flows exclusively to Imerys Minerals Ltd, the world’s largest clay mining company.

Further high-performance systems in northern England

“Of course, direct industrial customers offer perfect partners,” explains Christian Linder, CEO of Athos Solar. “Moreover, the solar park in Peterlee, northern England proves that Great Britain – despite all the clichés about its poor weather – is a solid candidate for solar energy production. In fact, our facilities in Britain often put out only 5 per cent less energy than their counterparts in Germany.” The same is true for the system in Short Hazel near Burton upon Trent in County Staffordshire, which started operations at the end of the first quarter; with 5 MWp, it represents the maximum output eligible for funding in England.

A fifth green-field system that Athos has been working on since April in Deepdale near Sleaford, County Lincolnshire, will also deliver 5 MWp, and is slated to be brought online at the end of June, after just two months construction time. According to Linder, “This demonstrates how quickly we and our partners can now get high-performance green-field systems up and running. And that’s because the backing of our financially powerful investor, the Weidenhammer-Group-Heidelberg, gives us the freedom to cover the initial outlay for major projects and implement them at short notice.” Negotiations for the sale of the solar parks portfolio are now underway.

Image caption: The Caswell facility was built on former farmland, and its 6 MWp (megawatt-peak) output make it the biggest of the new Athos Solar parks in Great Britain.

About Athos Solar
Based in Heidelberg, Germany, Athos Solar GmbH is a medium-size project development company for large-scale photovoltaic arrays. As a member of the Weidenhammer-Group-Heidelberg, Athos has at its disposal a permanent investor, allowing it to either independently construct arrays or to work closely together with concrete sponsors. In both cases, Athos attends to all process phases, from selecting the appropriate investment size and optimal investment structure, to manufacturing ready-to-use photovoltaic arrays. Upon request, Athos can also manage and maintain the arrays on the basis of a service level agreement. For further information please visit www.athos-solar.de.

Press Contact
Communication Harmonists GmbH & Co. KG
Thorsten Diehl
Poststraße 48
D-69115 Heidelberg
phone: +49 6221 18779-14
thorsten.diehl@commha.de

Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel unter dem unten stehenden Link.

The Heidelberg-based project developer’s revenues also grew considerably in comparison to the previous year, soaring 300 per cent to 80 million euros and making Athos Solar one of Germany’s fastest-growing specialists for green-field solar systems. “We plan to continue that positive development in 2016,” stresses Linder. “As such, our EBIT clearly takes priority over revenues; only then can we assume a role on the regenerative energies market that is sustainable in every sense. We only pursue projects in which everyone involved can take home reasonable profits.”

So far, the signs look promising: in the past several weeks, four new projects were completed in Great Britain and are now producing electricity for the English market. The systems in Caswell, Gilleys Dam, Short Hazel and Peterlee deliver a total of 21 MWp. Two of the English PV systems directly supply electricity to customers who have production facilities in the immediate vicinity of the systems. This is not only advantageous for energy producers and consumers; it also takes a serious amount of strain off of the power grid. Decentralised energy supply strategies based on energy production near the consumer are the goal of all European countries.

Financially powerful investor
“With regard to this and other projects, since the launch of our company in 2009, we’ve greatly benefited from the backing of our solid and financially powerful investor, the Weidenhammer-Group-Heidelberg”, relates Linder. “In the context of major projects, this gives us the freedom to deliver up front and initially finance them with the Group’s equity alone. That not only maintains our independence; it allows us to quickly decide – in some cases, within just 2 or 3 days – whether or not to take on a multi-million-euro project, and if we opt to do so, then to rapidly pursue that project all the way to grid integration.” This aspect is particularly important, given that in Germany and Great Britain alike the market conditions for green-field PV systems are likely to grow tougher in the years to come: in the former, the federal power authority (Bundesnetzagentur) introduced a new tendering procedure in 2015 that significantly reduces the number of approvals for new green-field systems; in the latter, state subventions for solar energy will be discontinued in 2017.

According to Linder, “That doesn’t mean that green-field systems will no longer be lucrative on these markets. We’re firmly convinced that solar energy will remain a breakthrough business in Europe. It represents the most environmentally friendly form of energy production, and the budding market for electro-vehicles will increase the need for sustainably produced, ‘green’ electricity.” Further, Athos Solar intends to expand its business to new markets within and outside Europe in the near future. “We’re confident that our years of expertise in constructing photovoltaic systems will translate into excellent chances on these new markets,” adds Linder.

Image caption:
“Athos Solar – green-field system at Glebe Farm, Bedfordshire/UK”

About Athos Solar
Based in Heidelberg, Germany, Athos Solar GmbH is a medium-size project development company for large-scale photovoltaic arrays. As a member of the Weidenhammer-Group-Heidelberg, Athos has at its disposal a permanent investor, allowing it to either independently construct arrays or to work closely together with concrete sponsors. In both cases, Athos attends to all process phases, from selecting the appropriate investment size and optimal investment structure, to manufacturing ready-to-use photovoltaic arrays. Upon request, Athos can also manage and maintain the arrays on the basis of a service level agreement. For further information please visit www.athos-solar.de.

Press Contact
Communication Harmonists GmbH & Co. KG
Thorsten Diehl
Poststraße 48
D-69115 Heidelberg

Tel +49 6221 905 74-14
Fax +49 6221 905 74-11

thorsten.diehl@commha.de

Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel unter dem unten stehenden Link.

Click on the link below to read the entire article.

After having developed and implemented several large-scale photovoltaic arrays in Germany over the past few years – for example, in the towns Britz and Weitgendorf in Brandenburg – the Heidelberg-based solar energy experts’ first solar parks commenced operation in Great Britain at the end of March. All three are in the greater metropolitan area of Birmingham. Work began on the first system, which employs 33,000 cutting-edge photovoltaic modules from Canadian Solar, in Condover in November 2014. Generating a total output of 10.15 MWp, it was set up on a 24-hectare plot in cooperation with the Spanish Grupo Zaragoza. The inverters were supplied by the Spanish manufacturer Power Electronics.

Since November of last year, Athos Solar has completed not one but two interconnected solar parks at Glebe Farm, Podington. Taken together, they cover an area of 55 hectares, and their 111,000 photovoltaic panels generate ca. 34 MWp, making the joint park one of the largest and most powerful in Great Britain today. Here, too, the photovoltaic modules were provided by Canadian Solar; the inverters came from SMA. The parks were erected in cooperation with Bejulo GmbH. 

The over 50 million pounds (68 million euros) in investments needed to build all three facilities were initially covered by Athos Solar itself. The completed parks were subsequently purchased by UK-based NextEnergy Capital. “Our advantage is that with the Weidenhammer Group we have a reliable, financially robust investor, which allows us to initially foot the bill for major projects like the parks at Glebe Farm and then look for a suitable buyer at our leisure,” says Christian Linder. “As such, we plan to install further large-scale solar parks in Great Britain, and are constantly on the lookout for attractive locations.”

About Athos Solar

Based in Heidelberg, Germany, Athos Solar GmbH is a manufacturer-independent project development company for large-scale photovoltaic arrays. As a member of the Weidenhammer Group, Athos has at its disposal a permanent investor, allowing it to either independently construct arrays or to work closely together with concrete sponsors. In both cases, Athos attends to all process phases, from selecting the appropriate investment size and optimal investment structure, to manufacturing ready-to-use photovoltaic arrays. Upon request, Athos can also manage and maintain the arrays on the basis of a service level agreement. For further information please visit www.athos-solar.de.

Press Contact

Communication Harmonists GmbH & Co. KG
Thorsten Diehl
Poststraße 48
D-69115 Heidelberg
Phone +49 6221 90574-14
hc@commha.de

Als Tochterunternehmen der Weidenhammer-Gruppe erstellt das Unternehmen selbstständig oder in enger Zusammenarbeit mit Auftraggebern Photovoltaikanlagen. Zu den Leistungen des Heidelberger Unternehmens gehören die Auswahl der optimalen Investmentgröße, die Strukturierung der Investments und der Bau von Photovoltaikanlagen. Bei Bedarf betreut und verwaltet Athos Solar die Anlagen im Nachgang auf Basis eines Dienstleistungsvertrages. Aktuell beschäftigt die GmbH vier Mitarbeiter.

Click on the link below to read the entire article.

Click on the link below to read the entire article.