KSJ Installs Its Own Photovoltaic System

Kommunalservice Jena (KSJ) is reaching the next milestone on the path to a sustainable and future-proof energy supply. Following the successful commissioning of the new substation, construction is now underway on the company’s first in-house photovoltaic system on the roof of the vehicle hall at the Altes Gaswerk 7a / Löbstedter Straße 68 location.

The system is expected to have an installed capacity of 75 kWp and is part of a comprehensive energy plan for the site. In the future, additional suitable roof areas will be equipped with photovoltaic systems. This expansion is taking place in parallel with the gradual electrification of the KSJ vehicle fleet, ensuring that electricity generation and consumption can be optimally coordinated.

Long-Term Energy and Climate Strategy

“By investing in our own electricity generation, we are laying the groundwork to make our energy supply more sustainable, cost-effective, and independent. The photovoltaic system is another important component of our long-term energy and climate strategy,” explains Christopher Helbig, Head of the Civil Engineering and Urban Space Division at KSJ.

For the new system, a total of 160 photovoltaic modules, each with a capacity of 450 watts, will be installed on a substructure specifically designed for the hall’s roof. Two inverters convert the generated solar power into grid-compliant alternating current, which is then fed directly into the company’s power grid.

Due to its southwest orientation and the flat roof pitch, the system is expected to generate approximately 67,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. This corresponds to the average annual electricity consumption of about 31 four-person households, based on an assumed consumption of 2,200 kilowatt-hours per year.

Solar Power Used On-Site

The solar power generated is to be used almost entirely on-site. The site’s current load profile aligns very well with the photovoltaic system’s generation profile, so a very high level of self-consumption is expected, particularly on weekdays. The current electricity demand at the Löbstedter Straße 68 site is approximately 300 megawatt-hours per year. As the fleet continues to transition to electric propulsion technologies, this demand will increase significantly in the coming years. The further expansion of the photovoltaic system will therefore be specifically tailored to the growing energy demand in order to continuously increase self-consumption.

Installation of the system is expected to take about one month. With the new photovoltaic system, KSJ is consistently continuing its investments in a high-performance and climate-friendly infrastructure. Together with the transformer station that is already in operation, it marks the beginning of the further expansion of a sustainable energy supply at the largest operational site and, at the same time, makes an important contribution to the implementation of the city’s climate protection goals.