Brown to Green: German Lignite site becomes giant solar park

A former German lignite slag heap is being transformed into a solar clean energy hub.

Construction has begun on RP Global’s first German solar project, a 50MWp photovoltaic park at Harbke on the border of Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony.

The site sits on the former Wulfersdorf spoil tip in the district of Börde, an area shaped by decades of lignite mining and divided after the Second World War along the inner-German frontier.

The project repurposes a brownfield location already intersected by two existing power lines, allowing efficient grid connection without new overhead routes.

By siting generation on a spoil tip rather than greenfield land, the scheme supports sustainable land use while accelerating regional clean power capacity.

Harbke’s energy history makes the conversion particularly significant.

The open-cast mine once supplied both sides of the former border. Following a municipal decision to redevelop, the area will now host low-carbon electricity generation, marking a symbolic shift from coal to solar.

The Harbke PV plant is among the most notable energy investments in the area and aligns with the district of Börde’s inclusion in the Global Sustainable Municipality nationwide initiative as one of five model municipalities.

Once operational, the solar park is expected to make a meaningful contribution to the municipality’s sustainability targets through zero-emission generation and responsible land reuse.