IBC Solar has started building work on a new 27.5MW solar project in Bavaria, which, when completed, will be one of the largest in the state. The Jura Solarparks portfolio is comprised of six systems and is scheduled to be fully connected to the grid in September.

Work on the first park in Weismain-Fesselsdorf has already got underway and the 8.4MW development is likely to be connected to the grid in late summer. When construction of the other five systems is finished, Jura Solarparks will cover 63 hectares and should provide enough energy to power around 8,097 households.

"The Jura Solarparks are one of the largest Bavarian projects," said Udo M??hrstedt, IBC Solar’s founder and CEO. "By consistently expanding a distributed infrastructure of renewable energy sources we can become the showpiece among the German states in the post-fossil era even without costly grid expansions."

Three of the six installations will be open to investment from the local community and are being marketed by IBC as ‘Citizen Solar Parks’. "Using photovoltaics, areas which cannot be used otherwise can create value to the benefit of the entire region,” said IBC project manager Oliver Partheymüller. “With the Solar Parks, residents from three rural districts will have the chance to invest in solar energy. Apart from this attractive investment option, they get the opportunity to contribute to a sustainable energy supply."

Speaking at the ceremony marking the start of building work, Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer said, "The Bavarian government has decided to cover half of its electricity consumption with renewable sources by the year 2021. This highly ambitious aim cannot be achieved without the involvement of the Bavarian citizens. The Jura Solarparks demonstrate that people are willing to take care of their energy supply. What is being created here certainly is a role model for Bavaria’s electrical power supply in the future."