Goodyear: Solar carport to provide green energy to Luxembourg from August

As reported last year, under its commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is working together with energy supplier Enovos to build two large solar power stations at its testing facilities in Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg that will provide clean energy for the local region. The tyre maker has supplied further details of this project, reporting that the stations will take the form of giant carports over the site’s car parks.

The first photovoltaic carport will consist of 1,500 solar panels and cover around 4,000 m2 of car park. With an annual production of 657,500 kWh, the carport will be the first in Luxembourg of this scale. Goodyear anticipates completion of the first carport by August 2021 and aims for the second power station to be ready in 2022. When finished, they’ll jointly produce around 5 GWh of electric power annually and reduce carbon emissions by around 50,000 tonnes for the next 20 years, while providing clean energy for more than 1,200 households.

Aiding a switch to 100% renewable energies

“Thanks to this project we will produce local green and carbon-free energy for Luxembourgish citizens,” says Xavier Fraipont, Goodyear’s vice-president for product development in Europe Middle East and Africa. “We are pleased to help the Luxembourgish government in its goal to the switch to 100 per cent renewable energies.”

When finished, the stations will jointly produce around 5 GWh of electric power annually, providing clean energy for more than 1,200 households (Photo: Goodyear)

Erik von Scholz, chief executive officer of Enovos Luxembourg, adds: “Enovos in close collaboration with our industrial partners strive to progress swiftly the implementation of renewable energies and thus the decarbonisation of the energy sector. Enovos’ ambitions are enabled by its expertise to develop and put in action renewable energy sourced solution. This joint project illustrates our continuous commitment to drive the energy transition in the Greater Region.”

“Solar energy is the energy of the future, and the latest figures are a clear proof that more and more residents and companies are embracing it: The production of photovoltaic power plants is constantly increasing. I am therefore very pleased that Goodyear, an industrial actor of the north of the country, is joining this development and consequently helps to convince even more players that photovoltaic energy is not only beneficial for the climate, but also for the economy,” comments Claude Turmes, Luxembourg’s Minister for Energy.