Berlin’s Olympiastadion is to be fitted with a rooftop solar power system as part of plans to drive climate security.
The 606.25-kilowatt-peak photovoltaic system will feature 1,614 photovoltaic modules, which will be fitted on the outer concrete ring of the stadium roof.
The stadium plans on generating almost 615,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year, which corresponds to the annual electricity requirements of around 205 three-person households.
The system will power the Olympiastadion’s ventilation, cooling and lighting systems. Almost all of the electricity used by the venue will be generated on-site.
The new system will tie in with plans to transform the Olympiastadion into a climate-neutral stadium and is set to deliver a saving of 225 tonnes of CO2 per year. Independence from the public power supply in the medium term will be achieved through an electricity storage system using second-life batteries.
Eco-energy supplier Polarstern will provide the new system and has invested around €625,000 (£523,000/$705,000) into the project. Solarwatt will provide the solar modules needed for the system, while KOCO Energy will serve as the project developer and system installer.
Florian Henle, managing director of Polarstern, said: “The local supply of solar power for large event and sports facilities makes an important contribution to our social and environmental future, both because of the prospective CO2 savings and symbolically.”
Timo Rohwedder, managing director at the stadium, added: “For us, the rooftop PV system is a further step in making the entire property CO2-neutral. Here, neither the City of Berlin as owner nor we as the operator have to invest ourselves; financing and operation are secured for at least ten years.”
The Olympiastadion serves as the home of Bundesliga football club Hertha Berlin. It is also used to stage German national team matches and will be a host venue during UEFA Euro 2024.
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