EnviTec Biogas expands its portfolio to include wind and solar power

Driving the energy transition with an open approach to technology is the aim of the newly established joint venture between EnviTec Biogas AG, the von Lehmden group, and Freese Beratungs GmbH. EnviTec Wind l Solar GmbH & Co. KG is now part of the financially robust group of Germany’s largest biogas producer. “With this newly founded start-up based in Lohne, we are expanding EnviTec’s renewable energy portfolio to include wind and solar power,” says Olaf von Lehmden, CEO of the company, which operates globally from Lohne and Saerbeck in Germany.

EnviTec has long been committed to renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaics. “Our 2017 acquisition of an agricultural business in the Märkisch-Oderland district of Brandenburg, including a 132-hectare site with planning approval for a ground-mounted PV system, marked a direct investment in the development of a 150 MW solar park,” explains Andreas Freese, who, alongside Olaf von Lehmden, serves as managing director of the new company. After successfully upgrading the site to the latest technology, the first solar park development was sold to an energy company.

Focus on unused and low-yield farmland

“Unlike biogas plant technology, the module technology in photovoltaics is changing very quickly,” says Freese. Roughly the size of a residential door, the modules weigh approx. 30 kilograms and are mounted on a steel structure at a precise angle and orientation. For its PV projects, EnviTec works with long-standing partners. “It is important to us to use our network of our local partners for both sides to ensure the smooth and economically viable execution of the project,” continues Freese. The quality of the soil plays a key role when selecting the areas for all projects: “Naturally, we only build on poor soils that are difficult to use for agriculture,” says Freese. To keep the impact on nature, the environment, and agriculture as low as possible, we exclude ecologically valuable areas and high-yielding farmland.

“The second PV plant that we operate ourselves is located in Petkus, Brandenburg, and has a capacity of 65 MW,” adds Freese. In Buckow, Brandenburg, EnviTec has successfully established another PV project with the help of its shareholders. Here, the Niederer Fläming agricultural business is producing green energy with the 65-megawatt PV park in addition to its existing biogas plant. The energy from the PV park will be purchased by the VW subsidiary PowerCo SE at a fixed price for a period of ten years starting on January 1, 2025.

In addition to the two PV projects completed so far, five additional ground-mounted PV projects and three wind farms are currently under development. For these upcoming projects, the start-up is currently expanding, particularly in the area of project development. “We deliberately rely on a small, flexible team with a maximum of five employees in order to implement our diverse land use options efficiently and agilely,” concludes CEO von Lehmden.

For more information, please visit: https://www.envitec-biogas.com/news