20,000 Tons of CO₂ Saved Annually: Iberdrola’s First Solar Park in Germany Powers Vodafone’s Mobile Network

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From left to right: Holger Vogel, Mayor of Boldekow; Michael Jungwirth, Member of the Executive Committee of Vodafone Germany; Nigar Gurbanli, Head of Structuring at Iberdrola Deutschland; and Consuelo Morales Gomez, Head of Onshore Wind at Iberdrola Deutschland.

Generará 53 GWh de energía limpia que alimentará a unas 3.000 torres de telefonía móvil de la compañía de comunicación.
Con sus parques eólicos marinos Wikinger, Baltic Eagle y Windanker, Iberdrola ya es el mayor operador de energía eólica marina en el mar Báltico alemán.

Iberdrola Deutschland, the Group's subsidiary in Germany, has started up its first solar farm in Germany, located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Approximately 180 kilometers north of Berlin, a photovoltaic installation has been completed in the municipality of Boldekow and inaugurated together with Vodafone. The solar park will generate more than 53 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually, supplying power to around 3,000 Vodafone mobile towers. Over its planned 30-year lifespan, Iberdrola’s new solar park is expected to save approximately 20,000 tons of CO₂ per year, making a sustainable contribution to decarbonization and the energy transition.

The Boldekow facility marks Iberdrola’s first photovoltaic project in Germany. With its offshore wind farms Wikinger, Baltic Eagle, and Windanker, Iberdrola is already the largest operator of offshore wind energy in the German Baltic Sea. The new solar park expands the company’s commitment in Germany to include onshore renewable energy. “Photovoltaics are another building block to expand our exclusively renewable energy offering in Germany,” says Felipe Montero, CEO of Iberdrola Deutschland. “The location in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was chosen not only for its strong solar radiation but also for the region’s openness and support for such a sustainable project.”

“Digitalization helps thousands of companies across the country save energy and become more sustainable. But digitalization can only be truly effective if we make it more sustainable ourselves – for example, by powering our networks. That’s why we’re now relying even more on solar energy for mobile communications in Germany. The 80,000 solar panels Iberdrola is launching in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will power our network exclusively and ensure the operation of more than 3,000 stations nationwide,” says Marcel de Groot, CEO of Vodafone Germany.

The electricity generated across an area equivalent to more than 65 football fields will be supplied entirely to Vodafone Germany under a long-term agreement. The solar panels utilize not only direct sunlight but also reflected radiation from the surroundings. Vodafone recently announced its CO₂ neutrality for its own emissions (Scope 1 & 2). A key lever: electricity consumption. Since 2020, Vodafone has been using renewable energy. The partnership with Iberdrola now enables long-term planning for sustainable electricity procurement. The solar park was implemented with partner companies including Solarpro, Sungrow, P&Q, and 4Energy.

In addition to producing renewable energy for Vodafone Germany, the Boldekow facility also brings benefits to the local community. Through property taxes, the solar park will generate millions in revenue for the municipality over the coming decades. During the construction phase, various local companies and workers were involved. “The transformation of energy supply must be rooted in the regions,” says Felipe Montero, who sees the Boldekow facility and the onshore segment as part of a holistic technology strategy. “The energy transition will only succeed if we think of all technologies together. Investments in offshore and onshore require clear processes and a reliable regulatory framework.”