NRW Greens want to facilitate floating PV on gravel lakes nationwide

24.01.2025

Source: E & M powernews

Solar panels on top, water below: this constellation is currently far too rare, according to green energy campaigners. A Federal Council initiative could be launched from North Rhine-Westphalia.

Solar installations on standing water are advantageous in many respects. For example, eco-energy developers argue that the use of open land for solar power could be reduced in return, i.e. valuable arable land, for example. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) has now shown sympathy for a change in the law at federal level.

The State Association for Renewable Energies (LEE NRW) invited Oliver Krischer to a meeting in the Lower Rhine region. The lobby organization of the eco-industry presented the minister with one successful example and one that had been thwarted.

The association demonstrated the crux of the current regulations on the faltering case in Wachtendonk. According to the Water Resources Act (WHG), modules are currently permitted on a maximum of 15 percent of the water surface and must be at least 40 meters away from the shore. This law has been in force since 2023 as part of the so-called Easter package of the then traffic light government.

Planned plant in Wachtendonk suddenly uneconomical

The original plans in Wachtendonk were older and could still be based on more generous guidelines when calculating their profitability. The Wachtendonk municipal works and a local citizens' energy cooperative were aiming for a plant with a capacity of 10 MW on the gravel lake owned by Klösters Kies & Beton. Following the restrictions that were later adopted, only 4 MW are now possible.

The LEE NRW criticizes that operation is no longer economical with very similar investment costs. Municipal utilities and the cooperative have therefore postponed the planning, which means that the parties involved have not been able to call up an approved subsidy from the state amounting to 830,000 euros.

One town further on, in Kempen, on the other hand, the local municipal utilities can realize a two-part floating PV plant with Klösters Kies & Beton GmbH on the Königshüttesee. Each block has a capacity of 4 MW, and the nature of the artificial body of water makes this plant possible. 900,000 euros of state funds will be used to finance the project.

Minister open to Federal Council initiative after the election

In an open letter to Minister Oliver Krischer, LEE NRW argues that the current provisions of the WHG hinder the expansion of floating solar power. Much more is possible than the current 16 floating plants in Germany. According to the market master data register, they total 37.9 MW, of which six plants with 13.6 MW are located in NRW (as of the end of 2024).

On the one hand, the association is calling for the "disproportionate" area restrictions in Section 36 para. 3 no. 2 WHG to be completely removed or significantly eased. Secondly, floating PV on artificial waters should be given the status of privileged projects in outdoor areas. This has not been the case to date.

The feedback from Oliver Krischer at the meeting at least gives hope to the floating PV movement. He supports the idea of more solar power on gravel lakes or the dammed waters of reservoirs. After the federal elections, there is the possibility of agreeing the necessary legislative changes in coalition negotiations. This would also require the participation of the Greens in the next federal government. Otherwise, he promised a Bundesrat initiative, which would come from the black-green coalition in NRW.

Author: Volker Stephan