The Thuringian Energy and Greentech Agency (ThEGA) is launching a solar offensive. With a statewide solar exchange, ThEGA is launching a comprehensive update for the Thuringian Solar Calculator online. Furthermore, the “Solar Empowerment” pilot project generated 1 MW of new PV capacity for Weimar! We are happy to provide information about the “Thuringia Solar Calculator” best practice example.

Nationwide solar exchange online

In 2018, Thuringia’s statewide solar cadastre went online and has been available to all interested citizens ever since. After receiving several updates to the application in recent years, a statewide solar exchange has now gone online as an extension of the solar cadastre.

Through a Geoplex solar exchange, residents can offer their own roofs for lease or lease existing ones. As an additional service, the solar exchange also offers the option of offering or leasing open spaces for lease. We are pleased to announce the first statewide solar exchange, which is now available at www.solarrechner-thueringen.de.

“Solar Empowerment”: 1 MW of new PV capacity for Weimar!

The University of Erfurt, the Thuringian Energy and GreenTech Agency (ThEGA), and the City of Weimar successfully tested a new funding measure for the expansion of renewable energies as part of the pilot project “Solar Empowerment.” With the support of ThEGA and the Thuringian Solar Calculator (www.solarrechner-thueringen.de), more than 10,000 residential buildings in the city were analyzed using the PlexMap Switchboard and matched with the addresses of the respective owners.

In October 2023, the owners of more than 6,000 randomly selected buildings in Weimar were contacted. As part of a potential analysis, they received individual information on the expected annual net electricity generation, approximate installation costs, payback period, profit after 20 years, annual return, and potential CO2 savings.

A dedicated hotline was set up in parallel, through which about 1,300 minutes of consultation calls were conducted with interested parties. Based on the owners who explicitly stated over the phone their intention to install a PV system, Weimar can expect an additional installed capacity of around 1,000 kWp. This corresponds to a private investment volume of around €1.5 million, additional annual net electricity generation of 878,776 kWh, and annual CO2 savings of 433 tons for the City of Weimar!

The pilot project “Solar Empowerment” can serve as a model for municipal climate policy in Thuringia and beyond. It has clearly demonstrated that direct outreach to property owners can successfully trigger investments in the private building sector.

Anyone wishing to check the suitability of their roof for a photovoltaic or solar thermal system can do so easily and free of charge using the “Thuringian Solar Calculator” provided by ThEGA.