Energiekontor, EHA And Dm Opt For Long-Term Green Electricity Supply From The Kolitzheim-Herlheim Solar Park

Energiekontor AG ("Energiekontor"), one of Germany's leading developers and operators of wind and solar parks, EHA Energie-Handels-Gesellschaft mbH & Co. KG ("EHA"), a specialised energy service provider for multi-site businesses, and dm, a leading drugstore retailer and omnichannel provider of drugstore products in Germany and Europe, have entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) for the planned Kolitzheim-Herlheim solar park. The agreement has a term of ten years. In future, the solar park will supply renewable electricity for the operation of dm stores. At the same time, the long-term PPA marks an important milestone on the way towards the realisation of the solar park without recourse to funding under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).

Through the agreement, the three companies combine their expertise along the renewable electricity value chain. Energiekontor is responsible for the development and realisation of the solar park, EHA is responsible for the energy management structuring of the physical PPA, including balancing group management, and integrates the generated electricity volumes into dm's portfolio in a way that enables dm to use green electricity from additional renewable generation capacity to supply its stores. The long-term partnership creates planning certainty for the companies involved while also supporting the further expansion of renewable energy.

The Kolitzheim-Herlheim solar park is being developed in the municipality of Kolitzheim in the district of Schweinfurt in Bavaria, Germany, and will have an installed capacity of around eleven megawatt peak. Commissioning is scheduled for the first half of 2027. The project is currently expected to generate more than 13 gigawatt hours of electricity per year on average. The generation of solar power is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 9,000 tonnes annually. In addition, extensive sheep grazing is planned on the site of the solar park, combining renewable electricity generation with an additional agricultural use of the land.

For the three project partners, the conclusion of the PPA represents an important step towards the further implementation of the solar park. The long-term PPA secures the marketing of the electricity generated outside government support schemes while at the same time creating the basis for integrating the generated electricity volumes into the long-term supply of dm stores. The project demonstrates how market-based renewable generation, the energy management structuring of variable electricity volumes for a consumption portfolio and specific customer demand can be successfully brought together.

"Securing long-term supplies of green electricity from additional renewable generation capacity is a key component of our future-oriented corporate strategy. The Kolitzheim-Herlheim solar park makes a contribution to the energy transition while at the same time reducing the dependence of our dm stores on fossil fuels," emphasises Markus Trojansky, Managing Director responsible for Expansion at dm.

"Particularly in the current challenging market environment, this project demonstrates that tangible progress can be achieved with reliable partners and a clear focus on what is feasible. For dm, we are creating a long-term solution that meaningfully combines sustainability and planning certainty," comments Jan-Oliver Heidrich, Managing Director of EHA.

"The conclusion of this PPA demonstrates that high-quality solar projects in Germany can be realised economically even without government support. We are delighted to have created, together with dm and EHA, a long-term and reliable solution for the use of renewable electricity generated at the Kolitzheim-Herlheim solar park. This partnership creates planning certainty and thus provides an important basis for the successful realisation of the project," says Peter Szabo, CEO of Energiekontor AG.