Solar energy: Plant near Dresden inaugurated

The modules produced supply both electricity and heat from solar energy: one of Europe's largest plants for so-called PVT modules has been inaugurated in Ottendorf-Okrilla near Dresden. Michael Kellner (Greens), State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics, and Saxony's Economics Minister Martin Dulig (SPD) congratulated the manufacturer Sunmaxx on site on Monday. "I think this is a good day for German industry and for the location here," said Kellner. Eastern Germany has great locational advantages due to the high availability of renewable energies, space for industrial settlements and well-trained employees.

The opening marks an important milestone, said Dulig. "We are all looking at the solar industry with concern at the moment, because business models we thought were safe are suddenly running out of steam and for weeks and months we have been caught up in debates about fair market conditions and subsidies." He was therefore delighted to be present at the opening of the module plant.

Dulig praised the technology used by the manufacturer as an "ingenious idea". "The unique selling point of these modules is the combination of sophisticated thermal management technology from the automotive sector with the latest solar cell technology," explained Managing Director Wilhelm Stein. Sunmaxx has a technological lead of several years here. While the solar cells on the front produce electricity, cold water is heated on the back, which can then be used for heating by heat pumps, for example. According to the manufacturer, 80 percent of the available solar energy can be converted in this way, compared to only 20 percent with pure photovoltaic modules.

Production has been underway in Ottendorf-Okrilla since December. The 25 employees currently produce several hundred to a thousand modules a week. By the end of 2024, Sunmaxx plans to expand its production capacity to 120,000 modules with a total output of 50 megawatts per year with 60 to 80 employees. Modules with a total output of one megawatt have been produced and delivered since the beginning of the year. Sales are handled by a network of specialist partners covering the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). In the long term, the company is planning a production capacity of up to three gigawatts.