Koelnmesse has announced that it has started operating what it describes as the largest inner-city photovoltaic project in Cologne, Germany.
Some 500 photovoltaic modules are being added to the roof of the newly-opened Confex venue, while a system totalling 4,800 modules is being added to the roof of Hall 11. It promises an annual yield of around two million kilowatt hours (kWh) of sustainable electricity.
By the end of this year, Koelnmesse will be operating over 20,000 square metres of solar panels on the roofs of its halls.
It added that another large-scale system is already under construction, which will boost total output to three million kWh.
'Sustainable Energy Supply'
"Starting operation of this large photovoltaic system is an important step on our way to a sustainable energy supply," commented Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. "And we're not done yet!"
The electricity generated by the solar panels will be utilised directly on-site at Koelnmesse. The potential use of surplus electricity from the photovoltaic systems is currently under review, in collaboration with the energy partner E.ON.
Climate-Friendly Technology
In addition to this, as part of an energy partnership with E.ON and RheinEnergie, Koelnmesse plans to convert the entire heating supply of its Cologne trade fair grounds to climate-friendly technologies by 2028.
This transition will involve sourcing energy from sustainable resources such as air, groundwater, and solar power. The integration of this innovative heating and energy concept, along with the RheinEnergie district heating system, is expected to achieve significant CO2 savings, reducing emissions by 5,800 tonnes annually.
"Photovoltaics play a key role in our energy mix," commented Horst Harbusch-Geier, Vice President Infrastructure, Koelnmesse. "The electricity we produce ourselves will help us significantly reduce our CO2 footprint in future."
Pictured are Henriette Reker, Mayor of Cologne; Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH.
