• OMV and Verbund have begun construction on a 14.85 MW solar PV project in Schönkirchen, Austria
  • Currently phase 1 has gone under construction with 11.4 MW capacity to be commissioned by Q4/2020
  • Under phase 2, it will be expanded to a total of 14.85 MW to generate 14.25 GWh annually to help OMV power its mining operations in the region

Oil and gas company OMV and hydropower producer Verbund, both headquartered in Austria, have started construction on a solar PV plant in Austria calling it the ‘largest area’ PV plant in the country. When complete in 2 phases, it will sport 14.85 MW capacity.

Construction has begun on phase I with 11.4 MW capacity in Schönkirchen on a 13.3-hectare plot of land owned by OMV to be equipped with 34,600 modules. It is designed to generate 10.96 GWh of clean power on commissioning at the end of November 2020.

The project will be scaled up in phase 2 to a total of 14.85 MW to generate 14.25 GWh annually with an additional 10,400 solar PV modules. Power generated will be used by OMV to power its mining operations in the region.

“By 2030, 100% of electricity produced in Austria should come from renewable sources”, said Wolfgang Anzengruber, Verbund chairman. “With 131 hydropower plants, we are Austria’s largest energy producer and we intend to grow significantly – also in the field of new renewables. By realizing the largest solar plant in Austria, we are implementing a sustainable economic and environmental agenda and jointly investing in the future of energy.”

In July 2019, OMV and Verbund announced a 16 MW PV project calling it Austria’s largest solar PV plant to be built for an investment of €6 million (see Austrian Companies To Jointly Build 16 MW PV Project).

Earlier this year, local solar PV technology association TPPV said the country could increase its annual solar power production from 1.5 TWh to 12.5 TWh in 2030 while the government roadmap envisages 11 TWh renewable energy by 2030.