The Irschenberg solar park and its eco-potential: "We want to give something back to nature"

In Irschenberg next to the A8, solar energy will soon be harvested: A company from Franconia is building a solar park.

The co-owner talks about the potential in an interview.

Irschenberg

- It is not an everyday project that is currently being developed in the Irschenberg community.

On the south side of the A 8 at the level of the Oberhasling district, the company JT Solar 4 GmbH & Co.KG from Merkendorf near Ansbach / Middle Franconia is building the Irschenberg solar park on an area of ​​1.58 hectares.

The open-space photovoltaic system with a module area of ​​0.87 hectares generates 1.84 million kilowatt hours of green electricity per year, which would be enough for around 400 households - and not only that. What other eco-opportunities the energy field has in store reveals Interview with co-owner Franziska Auracher (29) from Irschenberg.

Ms. Auracher, how far is the Irschenberg solar park now?

Is it going to start soon?

The modules are now clamped onto the rails and they are stringed, that is, connected in series.

Now all that's missing is the compact station - that is, transformer and transfer station in one.

That should all be there by the end of August.

If everything goes well, things can start in September.

You are 29 years old and co-operator of an open-space system.

How did that happen?

As an environmental engineer, I'm not that far away.

I studied environmental protection at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences and also started my career in Middle Franconia.

I am currently a self-employed energy consultant in Dinkelsbühl, because that is my hobby.

I also work at MHB Montage GmbH in Merkendorf as a planner for photovoltaic systems.

In addition, the property on the A 8 also belongs to you.

Yes, my family has a sideline farming there.

Originally I wanted to build a photovoltaic system on our house roof, but that was not possible because it is a listed building.

So I looked for alternative solutions with my boss Joshua Tlapak from MHB Montage GmbH, who is my business partner at the solar park in Irschenberg.

In the end it was this solar park.

He brings in the technology, I bring in the property.

"We want to turn the area into a biotope"

How did the municipality of Irschenberg react to this unusual project, for which a special area even had to be created under planning law?

The reaction was very positive - we got good feedback.

On the one hand, there is also trade tax, and the landscape is hardly affected.

This optical compatibility was also very important to me.

Actually, it can only be seen from the motorway.

And it's not just green electricity.

We have more plans there.

What exactly?

We want to turn the area into a biotope.

That is why we want to get in touch with the Association for Nature Conservation to get them on board and explore what can be done there.

We have several ideas, including grazing sheep there, creating a flowering meadow and setting up beehives and insect hotels.

It should simply become a coherent biotope that allows the soil to rest.

We want to give something back to nature.

What do you have to consider with such an open space system like yours?

It is important where the network connection point is.

If it is more than two kilometers away, larger systems are needed.

With us, the point is very close.

That's why we get by with around one and a half hectares.

Ultimately, there are many things that play a role.

That's why I'm very grateful to my boss, because he accompanied the project with a lot of experience and trust.

"An energy mix would be best"

What are the chances for you as an energy consultant that such open space systems like your solar park generally have when converting to renewable energies?

In general, from my point of view, an energy mix would be best: photovoltaics, biogas and wind power.

Since wind power is difficult to implement here, if only because it interferes with the landscape, open-space photovoltaic systems can be a good alternative - perhaps also along railway lines.

What speaks in favor of photovoltaics: Basically we have optimal solar radiation here in southern Bavaria.

If a roof is very flat, even a north orientation can work.

But in the end it all depends very much on the individual requirements.

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ddy