Koelnmesse will commission more than 20,000 m² of solar panels on the roofs of its halls by the end of 2024. The aim is to produce three million kWh of renewable electricity annually, resulting in savings of 1,850 tonnes of CO2 per year. The strategic goal is to achieve CO2-neutral energy supply by 2028.
500 solar panels on the recently opened Confex building at Koelnmesse convert sunlight into green electricity. Cologne's largest inner-city solar panel installation is now being expanded to include a system on the roof of Hall 11. This extension, consisting of 4,800 solar panels, will generate around two million kWh annually. Another large-scale installation is already under construction.
Koelnmesse launches commissioning of Cologne's largest inner-city solar energy system: Henriette Reker, mayor of Cologne; Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. Photos: © Koelnmesse.
Sustainable energy supply
"Making this extensive solar panel system operational is an important step in our direction towards a sustainable energy supply," said Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. "And we are not finished yet! Another 2,100 solar panels have already been delivered and installed on the roof of Hall 1." Henriette Reker, Mayor of Cologne and chairman of the Supervisory Board of Koelnmesse GmbH, also emphasises the wider importance: "By producing its own solar energy, Koelnmesse stays true to its sustainability goals and sends a strong signal for the energy transition in Cologne and the surrounding region. This is a further step towards a climate-neutral Cologne."
Cologne's largest inner-city solar energy system is located on the roof of Hall 1.
Sustainability strategy
The construction of the solar panel systems is part of Koelnmesse's sustainability strategy, which aims to achieve climate neutrality for both the company and its events by 2030. "Solar energy plays a crucial role in our energy mix," says Horst Harbusch-Geier, Vice President Infrastructure. "The electricity produced by ourselves will help us significantly reduce our carbon footprint." Just the system commissioned today at Hall 11 will save 1,200 tonnes of CO2 annually compared to the average electricity mix in Germany. The further expansion of the solar panel systems on the roof of Hall 1 will save a total of 1,850 tonnes of CO2 per year from the end of 2024.
Koelnmesse Entrance South.
Direct use
The electricity generated will be utilised directly on site at Koelnmesse. The possibilities for using excess electricity from the solar panels in the future are currently being investigated in cooperation with energy partner E.ON. As part of an energy partnership with E.ON and RheinEnergie, Koelnmesse will also convert the entire heating supply of its exhibition grounds in Cologne to climate-friendly technologies by 2028. The systems will obtain their energy from renewable sources such as air, groundwater and sun. This innovative heating and energy concept, combined with the RheinEnergie district heating system, will lead to further significant CO2 savings of 5,800 tonnes per year.
More information:
Koelnmesse GmbH
www.koelnmesse.de
'Largest inner-city solar power system'