The municipality of Lossatal is one of the pioneers of PV expansion in Germany. As early as 2008, Mayor Uwe Weigelt was convinced that the utilisation of the former industrial site for climate-neutral energy generation would be valuable for everyone involved.

A bold step

After reunification, a company settled on the former industrial site and used it as a warehouse for building rubble. When the company finally went bankrupt, the municipality decided to utilise the site more efficiently.

It was new territory for us. We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. Whether the electricity would be needed or whether we might become the bogeymen of the nation. We didn't know that. But we went down this path because we were convinced that this was a valuable and promising use of this area.

Uwe Weigelt, Mayor of Lossatal municipality

Land utilisation that benefits everyone

According to project developer Karl-Heinz Remmers from Solarpraxis AG, the construction of the solar park offers a "A whole bouquet of new opportunities that can benefit the municipality and its citizens." In the case of the municipality of Lossatal, the 25-hectare area on which the solar park was built is owned by the municipality. This results in rental income of 90,000 euros per year. With this income for the 10-year term, the municipality can invest in local infrastructure such as the kindergarten, school and roads. A big win for Lossatal!

You can find out the whole story in the short film of the Saxon Energy Agency SAENA:

More information on the development of the Lossatal energy site

You can find more information on the solar park in Lossatal and how the energy site subsequently progressed in our interview with Mayor Uwe Weigelt to SonneSammeln.