How Klinkerwerk Küsters faced up to the energy crisis with its own solar system
When energy prices skyrocketed as a result of the war in Ukraine, Managing Director Michael Hegholtz at one point even considered shutting down the energy-intensive brick works. The solution: a dedicated ground-mounted solar system on a former landfill site right next to the plant, designed and built by PV² Energie. Since it began operating, it has met a large proportion of the company’s energy needs – the company has achieved around 45% self-sufficiency.
Key facts and figures about the solar farm
Location: Kleve
Output: 1.999.8 kWp
Type of system: ground-mounted, self-consumption and grid feed-in
Commissioning: 09/2023
PV² Energie services: design and construction
Special features: 24-hour electricity demand, which a solar system cannot meet on its own, can be better met throughout the day by extending the hours of electricity generation.
Project features and challenges
This is how our Technical Director, Christoph Graf, describes the challenge:
Celina needs electricity around the clock – a solar system alone cannot provide that. However, what we can do is extend the electricity generation period: an east-west orientation allows electricity to be generated earlier in the day and over a longer period of time.
— Christoph Graf, Technical Director, PV² Energie
Refer to the full report for more information on the site selection, the tender, and the construction phase (see publications below).
Highlights & project insights
What our client says about this project
Expertise, a friendly manner, and excellent availability, along with a system that does exactly what it is supposed to do
Michael Hegholtz, Managing Director of Klinkerwerk Küsters
Publications & press reports on this project
Read more about this project in the articles in the Niederrhein or Münsterland Manager: “Mit Solaranlage aus der Energiekrise”.