ESMT Berlin has installed a photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of its historical main building, covering about 25 percent of its electricity needs in the future. With a total of 893 highly efficient modules on the former GDR State Council building, the PV system achieves a total output of 366 kWp, making it the largest system of its kind in central Berlin. The system is expected to be connected to the electricity grid in January 2024.
The PV system, equipped with dark monocrystalline high-performance modules, visually enables a uniform roof design while preserving the historic appearance of the former State Council building. With the help of the system, the international business school will be able to reduce an estimated 150 tons of CO2 emissions annually, making an important contribution to climate protection. Before the solar plant’s construction, ESMT also undertook a comprehensive energy renovation of the roof.
“With this PV system, we are setting an example for more sustainability and making a contribution to the energy transition,” says Georg Garlichs, CFO, ESMT. “The visually discreet implementation shows that solar installation and historic preservation can go hand in hand. And, of course, the PV system is also a good economic investment.”
During implementation, Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) supported ESMT with funding from the SolarPLUS program. The entire project was developed in collaboration with ECO.Projekt GmbH in Frankfurt and Kraftwerk Renewable Power Solutions GmbH. The sustainable redevelopment of the roof surfaces, the engineering, and the installation of the PV system were carried out in cooperation with Dachland Berlin GmbH and Kraftwerk Renewable Power Solutions GmbH.
Featured Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash.