Wieland holds solar park groundbreaking

A groundbreaking ceremony was held near the Erbach, Germany, headquarters of recycled-content red metals producer Wieland Group for a solar park scheduled to start up in the summer of 2024.

In March, Wieland announced the construction of the solar park in Erbach, which will measure about 59.3 acres—one of the largest ground-mounted photovoltaic systems in southern Germany, according to Wieland.

“The planning has been completed, and the Alb-Donau District Office has given the go-ahead and approval, so we can start construction immediately,” Wieland Group CEO Erwin Mayr says. “We are aiming to complete the project in the summer of 2024, which will enable us to achieve our defined sustainability goals as quickly as possible: in other words, net zero emissions by 2045.”

Some 47,000 solar modules will be installed in Erbach during the next few months, reaching a maximum output of 26.5 megawatt peak (MWp). The expected power yield of about 29 gigawatt-hours after completion corresponds to about 7 percent of the annual energy demand of Wieland-Werke AG in Germany, according to the firm.

“The Wieland solar park will also help us to reduce CO₂ emissions by around 18,000 tons per year in the future,” Mayr says. “This corresponds to 4 percent of the Wieland Group’s emissions from the use of purchased electricity.”

Wieland is investing a total of 19 million euros ($20.35 million) in the solar park and attached substation.

“Wherever possible, we also install photovoltaic systems on the roofs of our facilities worldwide,” Mayr says, adding that rooftop installations have been completed at nine Wieland Group sites and are currently under construction at seven more sites.

Wieland is a global supplier of semifinished copper and copper alloy products with a global network of more than 80 production sites, service locations and trading offices.