Iberdrola's new solar plant supplies renewable electricity for Salzgitter's green steel production
Iberdrola Germany has completed a new solar plant with a capacity of 65 megawatts (MWp) in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The solar park plant covers 45 hectares – an area roughly the size of 60 football pitches – and comprises more than 92,000 solar modules. The energy is supplied via a PPA to Salzgitter AG to support its regional energy transition providing 100% of the renewable electricity for its green steel production.
Felipe Montero, Managing Director of Iberdrola Germany, explains: "This solar plant is another milestone for our German onshore portfolio. We are demonstrating that the combination of strong partners, modern technology and long-term industrial cooperation is driving the energy transition forward in a concrete way. With Salzgitter AG, we have a partner that is clearly committed to sustainable transformation – and we are delighted to be embarking on this journey together."
With an expected annual production of around 60 gigawatt hours, the solar plant will supply enough renewable electricity to power more than 20,000 households – avoiding over 23,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year. The electricity generated will be purchased in its entirety by Salzgitter AG and integrated into the transformation of steel production. The plant is thus helping to make one of the most energy-intensive industrial sectors gradually more climate-friendly and highlights Iberdrola’s commitment to transforming the steel sector through electrification.
Ralph Schaper, Head of Energy Management at Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH: “The Salzgitter Group relies on strong partnerships for its SALCOS® – Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking program. These robust networks help establish the essential foundations for implementing low-CO₂ production processes and products.”
The construction of the solar park was carried out in several coordinated project phases together with specialised project partners such as Solarpro, P&Q and EMT. Regional companies were also involved in the planning and implementation. The project thus contributes to regional value creation and secures jobs.
About Iberdrola
Iberdrola is Europe's largest energy supplier by market capitalisation and one of the three largest energy companies in the world. The group supplies more than 100 million people in dozens of countries with energy. The company has over 42,200 employees and assets of more than €158 billion. In 2024, Iberdrola generated revenues of almost €50 billion, a net profit of over €5.6 billion and paid almost €10.3 billion in taxes in the countries where it operated. Globally, Iberdrola supports more than 500,000 jobs in its supply chain, with a procurement volume of €18 billion in 2024.
As a pioneer in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €150 billion over the past two decades in building a sustainable energy model based on solid environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. The company operates more than 44,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity worldwide, including nearly 21,000 MW of onshore wind power and 2,400 MW of offshore wind power. Iberdrola is on track to reach nearly 5,000 MW of offshore wind capacity by the end of 2026.
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