EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf am Engelbach is in operation

EWS and Energie AG Oberösterreich, together with Energie AG Supervisory Board Chairman Markus Achleitner and Pischelsdorf Mayor Gerhard Höflmaier, have commissioned what is currently the largest photovoltaic system for grassland and farmland in Upper Austria. The “EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf” combines agriculture with nature and climate protection, generates around six million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year and will be able to supply more than 1,680 households annually.

Hardly any soil loss on an EWS Sonnenfeld®

80 percent of the area can continue to be used for agriculture. 18 percent of the soil is covered with flower strips and the remaining two percent is used for mounting the modules. The PV system also protects the underlying soil from frost and drought damage. No soil is sealed. The PV components can be replaced after around 30 years or dismantled without leaving any residue.

“Today is a day of joy. A day of celebration for the energy transition in the solar capital of Pischelsdorf am Engelbach. This plant is another milestone in achieving our goal of increasing the share of solar power tenfold by 2030. We are also moving at record speed, with around 25,000 new PV systems being installed in Upper Austria last year alone,” explained Provincial Councillor Achleitner.

“It is an innovative and modern energy project. We are proud to have taken on a pioneering role here,” emphasized Mayor Gerhard Höflmaier.

Citizen participation as an EWS offer was successfully implemented by means of a crowdinvesting project

Joachim Payr, partner of EWS, explained: “We are delighted that Energie AG has commissioned us as an Innviertel-based company to supply this turnkey plant. This first solar field here in the district will immediately feed clean, inexpensive and secure green electricity into the grid for the next 30 years and thus further reduce the proportion of fossil and uncertain energy imports. The high local population share of 36 percent in our crowdinvesting project reflects the appreciation of the project by the community citizens and encourages us to continue offering citizen participation models in the future.”

Key data EWS Sonnenfeld Pischelsdorf:

- Output: 4.58 MWp
- Number of modules: 7,514
- Annual electricity production: 5.9 million kWh, equivalent to household electricity for more than 1,680 households
- CO2 savings in 25 years: 114,260 tons