Renewable energy on contaminated soil
AEW Energie AG has opened its first ground-mounted photovoltaic system in Spreitenbach. The 1414 modules generate electricity for around 140 households per year and temporarily use a pre-polluted area for the Energy Strategy 2050.
Energy supplier AEW has built a ground-mounted photovoltaic system in Spreitenbach. According to a press release, the newly built solar plant went into operation in September 2024 and was officially opened on November 26. Its installed capacity is 622 kilowatt peak. According to the press release, this could supply 140 households with solar power per year.
The project is AEW’s first ground-mounted system. The energy supplier is thus temporarily using a previously contaminated plot of land at the Spreitenbach site, which became an open space when the old open-air switchgear was dismantled. It was previously contaminated by foundations, shafts and cable systems, according to the statement. “Brownfield and previously contaminated areas can be used sensibly on a temporary basis to make a significant contribution to the Energy Strategy 2050,” René Wüst, Project Manager at AEW Energie AG, is quoted as saying.
The decision was also supported by the fact that the system, which comprises 1414 solar modules, requires less maintenance during operation and is less susceptible to faults. If the grid needs to be expanded in the future, for example to include a storage system, it can also “simply be reused, as the photovoltaic system is very easy to dismantle”.