Germany's Largest Solar Thermal Plant Now in Operation

June 18, 2026

Source: E & M powernews

Stadtwerke Leipzig has commissioned Germany’s largest solar thermal plant. The project is designed to provide CO2-free heat for the district heating network.

Under bright sunshine on June 17 in Leipzig, Germany’s largest solar thermal plant officially went into operation. The plant, featuring approximately 13,000 ground-mounted solar collectors, will feed heat into the city’s district heating network in the future. According to project participants, the initiative is also one of the largest solar thermal projects in the world.

The project was carried out by Stadtwerke Leipzig, the municipal energy utility of the Saxon city, in collaboration with the technology company Ritter XL Solar from Dettenhausen in Baden-Württemberg. With the new solar cogeneration plant, Stadtwerke aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the district heating supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Saxony’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Panter (SPD), described the plant as an important step toward transforming the district heating supply. At the opening ceremony, the SPD politician explained that the project combines security of supply with climate protection. With the expansion of district heating, the use of industrial waste heat, and the deployment of solar thermal energy, Leipzig is setting trends that are attracting attention nationwide.

Reducing Fossil Fuel Use

The plant in the Lausen-Grünau district is part of the city’s district heating transformation plan. Thanks to optimal conditions for grid connections to the district heating transmission line and the immediate proximity to the substation as well as the Leipzig West CHP plant site, the approximately 14-hectare field was particularly well-suited for the plant’s construction.
Karsten Rogall, Managing Director of Leipziger Stadtwerke, emphasized: “For us, sustainability means combining and advancing security of supply and climate protection.” The solar thermal plant will generate about two percent of Leipzig’s total heat consumption year-round. In the summer, the share of solar heat in the district heating system is significantly higher, accounting for around 20 percent of the total daily heat demand.
This makes it possible to reduce the use of fossil fuels in district heating and thus minimize greenhouse gas emissions. “Solar thermal energy is one of the most efficient renewable heat sources. Per hectare, it can provide three times more energy than photovoltaics and even 30 to 45 times more than biomass,” explained Erik Jelinek, SWL’s project manager for generation facilities.

More Potential Across Germany

According to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar), the Leipzig project demonstrates that solar thermal energy can now also be used on a large scale to supply cities. “The commissioning of Germany’s largest solar thermal plant sends a strong signal for the heat transition,” said BSW CEO Carsten Körnig. The project demonstrates that renewable heat is already available today on a power-plant scale.

BSW-Solar also sees the Leipzig project as a model for other cities and municipalities. According to the association, there are currently around 60 ground-mounted solar thermal plants in operation in Germany. However, given that there are approximately 3,800 district heating networks nationwide, there remains considerable potential for expansion.

According to calculations by the consulting firm Prognos AG, grid-connected solar thermal energy could provide around 4.5 billion kWh of renewable heat annually in Germany in the future. Against this backdrop, the industry believes the technology is becoming increasingly important for the decarbonization of municipal heating networks.

The commissioning of the Leipzig plant comes at a time when many municipalities are reorienting their heat supply. As part of municipal heating planning, cities and towns are increasingly examining which renewable energy sources are suitable for their heating networks. In addition to large-scale heat pumps, geothermal energy, and the use of waste heat, this also includes solar thermal energy.

Author: Susanne Harmsen