Located on the site of the BMW factory in Debrecen, construction has now begun on BMW Group’s largest photovoltaic system and the largest solar power plant in Hungary. In cooperation with E.ON Hungária Group, the solar park will comprise 320,000 square meters of solar panels — 187,000 on the roof of the current factory buildings and the remaining installed on the ground, per reports back in April when the plan was first announced.
President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Hungary Kft. Hans-Peter Kemser had at the time stated that a total of 70,000 panels will cover an area equivalent to 70 football fields and meet the annual energy demands of 20,000 households. Szijjártó this week apparently updated this to an exact 71 football fields.
The BMW head has expressed his company’s aim to “ensure sustainability in all areas,” and the Hungarian FM reiterated this goal yesterday, saying, “The use of solar energy as a clean, green energy source is increasingly important in meeting the growing demand for electricity.”
The massive undertaking is the first of such size for E.On. Deputy CEO Zsolt Jamniczky said back in April that the project is a “milestone” for the company. E. ON will be responsible for operating the solar park once completed.
Calling Hungary “an absolute global leader” of the green economy, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó boasted that the biggest names in both auto manufacturing and electric battery production have chosen Hungary for their factories.
“Hungary, once again, produces an achievement that can legitimately claim to be included in next year’s edition of the Guinness Book of Records,” he concluded.
