RWE and Salzgitter Group sign green PPA

• Salzgitter Group aims to cover all of its electricity needs from renewables by 2030
• PPA concluded with RWE for up to 64 gigawatt hours per year from 2027
• Green electricity will be supplied from the Boitzenburger Land solar park

RWE Supply & Trading and the Salzgitter Group have agreed a long-term green electricity supply (Power Purchase Agreement, PPA) for up to 64 gigawatt hours per year. The contract runs for seven years and begins in 2027. The green electricity will come from the 180-megawatt peak Boitzenburger Land solar park in Brandenburg. Covering an area of around 170 hectares, it is one of the largest PV systems in Germany. The park has been in operation since autumn 2023 and is jointly owned by Solarenergie Boitzenburger Land GmbH, the GP JOULE Group and Mainova AG; the latter is responsible for marketing the electricity. Due to direct marketing via PPAs, the solar park does not require a feed-in tariff under the Renewable Energy Sources Act.
 
Green electricity for steel production
With the SALCOS^® - Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking transformation programme, the Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, the largest company in the Salzgitter Group, will gradually convert its steel production to electricity and hydrogen-based processes from 2026. The aim is to achieve almost completely CO₂-free production from 2033, replacing the traditional blast furnace route with production processes using direct reduction and electric arc furnaces.
 
We are delighted to be able to support our long-standing customer Salzgitter in realising its sustainability strategy," says David Egyptien, Head of Commodity Solutions Germany & Benelux at RWE Supply & Trading. "The demand for CO₂-free electricity supplies from renewable sources is growing strongly. With our energy solutions, we want to promote climate protection in all areas of the economy."
 
Marco Hauer, Head of Energy Procurement at Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH: "Large quantities of greenhouse gases are currently still being released during conventional steel production. That is why we are driving forward the switch to a virtually CO₂-free steel production process on a large scale. We are getting serious about green energy sources. By 2025, half of our electricity requirements will come from non-fossil sources, and by 2030 we want to be using 100% green electricity."
 
Green growth in the domestic market
RWE has more than 20 years of experience in the development, construction and operation of renewable energy plants. In its home market of Germany, the company operates onshore wind farms and solar plants with a total installed capacity of around 700 megawatts. In order to drive forward the expansion of renewable energy, RWE plans to invest around 11 billion euros net in green generation capacities in Germany by 2030.