Green electricity from the East Frisian moor as an innovation

05.05.2026

Source: E & M powernews

Germany's largest solar park to date has celebrated its opening in a moorland area in Lower Saxony. The project covers 40 soccer pitches and has an output of 37.5 MW.

There is a trend towards rewetting former moors. The combination with the production of green electricity is relatively new. In East Frisia, those involved now see themselves as pioneers for solar parks on moorland. A large solar power plant is now connected to the grid and celebrated its opening on May 4.

With an output of 37.5 MW, the park in Varel, Lower Saxony, is said to be Germany's largest collection of solar modules in a moorland area to date. It is a joint project between the solar park developer WI Energy GmbH from Trier (Rhineland-Palatinate), two farmers from Varel and the plant manufacturer EMT2 GmbH from Lünne in Emsland (Lower Saxony).

Originally, the collectors were only to be lined up along highway 29 and a railroad line. Those responsible then extended the area to include a renaturalized moor and developed the vision for a larger project with the innovative "Moor PV concept", says Ingo Berens, one of the managing directors of WI Energy alongside Michael Reichert. The project now consists of two sub-projects with different grid connection points.

The solar park now covers an area of around 40 soccer pitches and also consists of 18 transformers. It can supply more than 9,000 households with green electricity and save more than 23,000 tons of CO2 compared to fossil energy generation. A special aspect is the generation of solar power from the light that the damp moorland surface reflects in the direction of the collectors.

The moorland will also be available for agricultural use in the future. Sheep or cattle will be able to graze under the modules. There is enough space because the elements are installed at a height of up to 2.10 meters. Due to the special characteristics of the moorland, the project sponsors had to take additional measures. The material of the uprights, steel, is specially coated to prevent rust. The substructure extends up to 4.50 meters deep into the ground.

A scientific team from the University of Greifswald is keeping a close eye on the project. It is examining the natural CO2 emissions of the moor under the conditions of a solar park. The university is also continuously analyzing the development of the animal and plant population.

Author: Volker Stephan