500 photovoltaic modules mounted on the newly opened Confex building at Koelnmesse convert sunlight into green electricity. Cologne’s largest inner-city photovoltaic system is now being added to the roof of Hall 11. Comprising 4,800 modules, it promises an annual yield of around two million kilowatt hours (kWh). Another large-scale system is already under construction.
“Starting operation of this large photovoltaic system is an important step on our way to a sustainable energy supply,” says Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. “And we’re not done yet! A further 2,100 solar modules have already been delivered and installed on the roof of our Hall 1.” Mayor of Cologne and Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Koelnmesse GmbH, Henriette Reker, emphasises the significance outside the company as well: “By generating its own solar power, Koelnmesse is consistently pursuing its own sustainability goals and at the same time sending a strong signal for the energy transition in Cologne and the surrounding region. This is another step on our path toward a climate-neutral Cologne.”
The construction of the photovoltaic systems is part of Koelnmesse’s sustainability strategy, which aims to achieve climate neutrality for the company and its own events by 2030. “Photovoltaics play a key role in our energy mix,” says Horst Harbusch-Geier, Vice President Infrastructure. “The electricity we produce ourselves
will help us significantly reduce our CO2 footprint in future.” The system commissioned today atop Hall 11 alone will enable annual savings of 1,200 tonnes of CO2 compared to the average electricity mix in Germany. With further expansion of the photovoltaic systems on the roof of Hall 1, a total of 1,850 tonnes of CO2 will be saved per year starting at the end of 2024.
The electricity generated by the solar panels will be used directly on site at Koelnmesse. The form in which surplus electricity from the photovoltaic systems could be used in future is currently being examined together with the energy partner E.ON. As part of an energy partnership with E.ON and RheinEnergie, Koelnmesse will also be converting the entire heating supply of its Cologne trade fair grounds to climate-friendly technologies by 2028. The systems will obtain their energy from sustainable sources including air, groundwater and the sun. The innovative heating and energy concept in combination with the RheinEnergie district heating system ensures further significant CO2 savings of 5,800 tonnes per year.
