The major Wien Energie project aims to produce solar power for 4,900 Viennese households.
On Wednesday, Austria's largest photovoltaic system was put into operation in the Donaustadt on a bright, sunny day. The system is to produce 12 gigawatt hours of electricity with immediate effect, enough for around 4,900 Viennese households. The system has a total output of 11.45 megawatts. It has a total of 25,626 modules and is located in an area of 12.5 hectares.
The area is the former gravel dump of the City of Vienna in Donaustadt, which was built by Wien Energie together with MA 48 and MA 49. “For our goal of making Vienna CO2-neutral by 2040, we are relying on the energy transition. That's why we're starting the biggest photovoltaic offensive in history this year. The Schafflerhofstrasse eco-power plant is an important building block for supplying the city with 100 percent electricity from renewable energies in the future, ”says Jürgen Czernohorszky, City Councilor for Climate Change.
Hybrid power plant with wind
Because the system is so large, connecting to the power grid is a challenge. This could be overloaded in such bright sunshine as on Wednesday with production peaks. That is why the plant is operated as a hybrid power plant. It hangs on the same power line as the Wien Energie wind farm Andlersdorf. Because wind and sun are seldom active at the same time, both systems can run in full operation at the same time without overloading the grid.
Should more renewable electricity be produced in spite of this, a buffer electricity storage system is used. It intercepts production peaks and only feeds the solar power produced into the power grid at a later point in time. This storage facility will go into operation by the summer, according to Wien Energie.
Pasture area for sheep
“Last year we commissioned Vienna's largest solar power plant in Unterlaa. This plant is now six times as big. We are advancing climate protection in the city with giant strides and are showing that open space systems can also be optimally designed for the environment and nature. In order to achieve the climate targets, we must jointly use all possibilities for the expansion of renewable energy, ”says Michael Strebl, Managing Director of Wien Energie.
The large area is not only used for solar energy, but also serves as pasture for 150 Jura sheep between April and October. As “natural lawnmowers”, these ensure that the grass does not get too high and, thanks to the photovoltaic modules, are also protected from the onset of the weather. In addition, the system is partly an agricultural photovoltaic system in which both sides produce electricity. These modules are mounted vertically. A tractor can drive between the module rows without any problems and the area can be used for agriculture, e.g. for growing vegetables.
In order to analyze the effects of dual use, Wien Energie is relying on accompanying research together with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, which will also cultivate the area.
