Phoenix Solar Malaysia
Solar park Rickelshausen I-III
Landfill delivers clean electricity
GLS Beteiligungs AG in Bochum is known for unconventional thinking. For a new project in the field of renewable energy sources, this company again veered from the beaten path again, to oversee construction of a large photovoltaic system on a landfill site. Instead of concrete foundations for the modules‘ support structure, ground-mounted systems from Phoenix Solar are rammed into the ground with steel pillars. However, the ramming must be executed with the utmost care, so as not to penetrate the landfill geomembrane.
By means of reduced pillar spacing, the penetration depth was reduced to 80 cm, allowing the landfill body to be subjected to minimal loads, even in strong winds, while simultaneously guaranteeing stability. This was the first time that thin-film modules, arranged in four rows, have been successfully installed on a landfill. Due to Rickelshausen‘s close proximity to the Swiss border, the energy suppliers‘ grids overlap. As there are different voltages in this region, it was necessary to use a special transformer which can switch to secondary voltage. Now, this powerful ground-mounted system delivers clean electricity from the landfill, and brings in attractive lease revenue for the local community.
Once again, in a situation with demanding conflicting requirements, Phoenix Solar has successfully found the right solution for the customer, by means of individual adaptations.
| Rickelshausen I | Rickelshausen II | Rickelshausen III | |
| Rated system power | 0.524 MWp | 1.074 MWp | 0.548 MWp |
| Annual energy yield | approx. 499 MWh MWh | approx. 1,090 | approx. 600 MWh |
| Feed-in tariff/kWh | 0.406 EUR | 0.3796 EUR | 0.3549 EUR |
| Equivalent to the power consumption of | approx. 125 families** | approx. 273 families** | approx. 150 families** |
| Feed-in tariff p.a. | approx. 202,448 EUR | approx. 413,764 EUR | approx. 212,940 EUR |
| CO2-savings p.a. | approx. 286.72 t* | approx. 626.75 t* | approx. 345 t* |
| No./type of modules | 8,424 modules First Solar FS 262 | 16,524 modules First Solar FS 265 | 7,560 modules First Solar FS 270, FS 275 |
| Inverter | 1 x SMA SC 500 HE | 2 x SMA SC500 HEM | 1 x SMA SC 500 HE |
| Construction type | Ground-mounted system | ||
| Tilt angle | 30° | ||
| Frame technology | Shortened ramming and reduced post spacing | ||
| Orientation | South | ||
* Source: The evolution of carbon dioxide emissions within the German power mixture 1990-2008: 0.575 tons CO2 saved per MWh (Umweltbundesamt FG I 2.5., Status March 2010)
** Source: Average power consumption of a family: 4,000 kWh (Verivox, Status 2010)