On 5 July 2017, students on the Environment and Energy B.Sc. programme visited the ENNI Mühlenfeld Solar Park, with its integrated energy trail and the wind turbines on Verbandstrasse.
The concept for the Energy Trail was developed in collaboration with students on the course and is one of twelve ‘award-winning showcase projects’ at KlimaExpo.NRW 2015. The trail offers interested visitors the opportunity to explore the topic of the energy transition at their own pace. The information boards, developed in collaboration with Environment and Energy student Denise Schleising, provide a clear explanation along a circular route of how energy is generated from renewable sources such as the sun, wind, water and others. They also offer an insight into ENNI’s regional renewable energy projects. This year’s excursion participants were particularly interested in how economical and ecological electricity generation has been successfully implemented whilst taking environmental protection into account.
A good example of this is the Mühlenfeld solar park, where particular attention is paid to wildlife and species conservation when maintaining the site; for example, special areas have been created for the native natterjack toad. Through close cooperation with the District of Wesel and the Nature Conservation Union (NABU), it has been ensured that the natterjack toad has continued to thrive in this ecologically valuable habitat even after the construction work was completed. At the same time, around 14,000 solar panels have been generating green electricity at the solar park since 2013.
