A new collective photovoltaic system, the first for the Fonds Kirchberg, was officially inaugurated on Friday afternoon. The installation is projected to produce an average of 160,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Comprising approximately 400 panels across 800 m² on the roof of the Fonds Kirchberg and the depot of the National Roads Authority, the system is expected to cover 95% of the energy needs for the depot halls and 65% for the adjacent administrative building. This will result in an estimated annual reduction of 28 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
With a projected lifespan of around 30 years, the system is calculated to save over 760 tonnes of CO₂ in total. The project forms part of Luxembourg’s national energy transition strategy, supporting the goals of both the national energy and climate plan and the European Green Deal, which targets a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. Marc Widong, director of the Kirchberg Plateau Urbanisation and Development Fund (FUAK), described the installation as a pilot project for an internal electricity-sharing system within the Fonds.
Widong explained that the system generates a surplus beyond the building’s daytime needs. “This means we are selling the electricity to ourselves over the network that is in place,” he said, noting the excess is fed into an internal energy community for use in their office building.
Given Luxembourg’s variable climate, questions arise about the viability of solar energy for the national transition. Minister for Mobility and Public Works Yuriko Backes acknowledged solar is “one way” among many. “Many things come together,” she stated, positioning projects like Kirchberg’s as one component of a broader strategy to meet the Grand Duchy’s climate goals. While acknowledging these targets are “ambitious”, Backes pointed to the Kirchberg example as proof that photovoltaic systems for self-consumption present a reliable option.
Minister Backes indicated that the newly inaugurated photovoltaic system is just the beginning. “Most, if not all, new buildings are to be fitted with a photovoltaic system,” she stated. For the Fonds Kirchberg, this project serves as a blueprint for future developments, particularly the forthcoming Kuebebierg neighbourhood, which is planned to operate on a virtually CO₂-neutral energy supply. The fund emphasises that this approach will provide more stable energy cost planning and contribute to the progressive decarbonisation of buildings across the Kirchberg plateau.
Widong confirmed this is a pilot project intended to be replicated. “The Fonds Kirchberg wants to apply this to the new neighbourhoods it is building, notably Kuebebierg, which is intended to be entirely – or as much as possible – electric,” he explained. This will entail extensive electricity generation from photovoltaic panels installed on the buildings themselves. The energy demand in the neighbourhood will be significant, as it will exclusively use electric heating systems. “The neighbourhood will feature no gas heating; everything will be heated using air-source heat pumps and geothermal energy for both space and water heating,” Widong added.
The panels themselves have a functional lifespan exceeding 30 years. At the end of their service life, a significant proportion of the metals and raw materials can, based on current recycling capabilities, be recovered and reused in the manufacturing of new panels.
The total investment for the photovoltaic installation by the Fonds Kirchberg amounted to approximately €290,000.
