Dear investor,
As the first half of 2023 draws to a close, we can look back on some positive developments, particularly in the area of photovoltaics. The simplification of approval procedures for PV projects through the amendment to Section 35 of the German Building Code (BauGB), the interest of industrial companies in power purchase agreements and new field tests in the field of hydrogen (Power-to-X) point the way to a sustainable future.
The Ranft Group develops and realizes PV projects in Germany, Italy and Austria, as well as hydropower projects in Italy. In this Ranft Report, we inform you about the development progress of our projects as well as current market developments.
Are you already investing with us? Then please continue to stay with us. If you are not yet one of our investors, we look forward to welcoming you in the future. Let's continue to work together to create meaning and added value in the years to come.
Michael Ranft, Andrea Ranft and Rainer Zepke
POWER-PURCHASE-AGREEMENTS
Photovoltaics is one of the most important energy sources of the future that will help us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are one way of making green electricity generated by photovoltaic systems available to end consumers in an economically attractive way. This involves companies or private individuals concluding long-term contracts with operators of photovoltaic systems and buying the solar power directly from the producer.
PPAs offer a number of advantages: Supplying customers' energy requirements from renewable sources will lead to cost savings in the medium to long term and create an ecological impact from the outset. Due to the agreed contract term, PPAs offer the operators calculable and guaranteed income and therefore financial security over a longer period of time. As the statutory remuneration for solar energy under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) will continue to decrease, the potential for PPAs will increase even further in the future - an important step on the way to a sustainable energy supply.
PRIVILEGING OF AREAS
The privileged status under Section 35 BauGB opens up a wide range of opportunities for project developers of photovoltaic systems. PV and wind power plants can be planned and erected on designated areas in a shorter period of time, provided they meet the requirements. More and more of the bureaucratic hurdles are being removed, creating further freedom in the choice of location. Of course, compliance with landscape and nature conservation regulations and the concerns of the local population and other authorities must also be taken into account. Nevertheless, this regulation represents an important step towards a more climate-friendly energy supply and must therefore continue to be promoted. The main change is that the strip (200m wide) along freeways has been privileged to the extent that a development plan procedure is no longer required. Since the amendment to the BauGB, the Ranft Group has been specifically developing new areas for future PV projects in these areas.
FIELD TEST POWER-TO-X
In Erftstadt near Cologne, TÜV Rheinland, GVG Rhein-Erft and Rheinische Netzgesellschaft (RNG) have been testing the effects of adding 20 percent hydrogen by volume to the gas grid since October 2022. At the end of the past heating period, the partners have now drawn an interim balance:
All gas appliances run without interruption as before, when only ten volume units of hydrogen were permitted as an admixture to the gas.
Residents and tradespeople were able to continue using their existing appliances during the heating period without having to switch. TÜV Rheinland also confirmed this in its final report. In addition, the changed composition of the gas mixture had no impact on the tightness of the gas network. The field test will continue until the end of December 2023. 100 households from the districts of Niederberg, Borr and Friesheim are taking part. The area is ideally suited for such a study, as the gas network was only built in 2007 and is therefore technically very modern. The field test can be easily monitored thanks to the house connection and distribution lines.
According to TÜV Rheinland, this practical test is the first of its kind to be carried out in an L-gas network in the whole of Germany. Gas networks in parts of western Germany are still supplied with so-called L-gas, which differs from H-gas in terms of its composition and origin. In order to test further technical possibilities, TÜV Rheinland is planning to test the addition of up to 30 percent hydrogen in suitable gas networks.
These developments show that the area of Power-to-X in particular - i.e. the conversion of green energy into other chemical energy carriers, such as hydrogen - is a promising concept for a successful energy transition. The Ranft Group is stepping up talks with cooperation partners for the project planning of PV systems with Power-to-X refiners, particularly for hydrogen, one of the key elements of the energy transition.
Source field test: www.pv-magazine.de
PV PROJECT OBERGESSERTSHAUSEN
The second round of the land-use planning procedure for the Obergessertshausen PV project with approx. 5.0 MW was completed in May. The municipality weighed up all comments positively. The amendment to the land use plan was then approved by the municipality. There will be an opportunity for public participation for the PV project, which we will present during a public meeting in June 2023.
PV PROJECT ORANIENBAUM
The repowering measures in Oranienbaum are proceeding according to plan. The Ranft Group is using active repowering for the PV project. Construction work began in March 2023 and will be completed at the end of June 2023 with full recommissioning. The Oranienbaum PV park with around 8.2 MW will be expanded by around 5 MW in 2023 once the repowering work on the existing plant has been completed. Oranienbaum is the first existing plant for which the Ranft Group is using active repowering. You can find out more about our Oranienbaum PV project here.
