Denmark, 03 June 2018: The Denmark-based company Arcon-Sunmark is constructing a solar heating system in Berlin, Germany, on behalf of the European energy company Vattenfall, the former said in a Press communiqué. The project is one of the first to be developed in a major city and will supply the residents with 14,000 CO₂-free showers annually, the communiqué said.

Vattenfall has set an ambitious objective to make fossil-free living possible within one generation, the communiqué said. This pioneering project in Köpenick, Berlin, is one of the first large-scale solar heating systems located in a major city, the communiqué further said. The turnkey supplier of the entire solar heating system is Arcon-Sunmark, the communiqué added.

According to Arcon-Sunmark, the system is being fully assembled and thoroughly tested at its factory in Denmark and will be installed at the Köpenick site. The solar field is constructed right next to the existing District Heating facility which minimises the energy loss in the piping system, the communiqué said. Furthermore, the ground on which the solar field is placed is already owned by Vattenfall, reducing the initial investment significantly, the communiqué further said.

Gunther Mϋller, Spokesman of the Management Board, Vattenfall Wärme Berlin AG, said: “With the interplay of the solar thermal system and CHP units, Vattenfall is breaking new ground on the way to heat transformation in Berlin. If this renewable supplement stands the test in the field, Berlin district heating will gain a valuable new lever on the road to climate neutrality.”

Commenting on the potential impact of the project, Ole Dalby, CEO, Arcon-Sunmark, said: “The Köpenick project is unique. The urban location is in itself very special, and the solar heating system is compact and efficient, maximising output and minimising costs. Berlin and Vattenfall will be examples for others to follow, and within a few years similar solar heating systems will be a common phenomenon in major cities around the world.”