In just seven months, Arcon-Sunmark has completed the construction of a groundbreaking large-scale solar heating system in Silkeborg, Denmark. This system, spanning an area of 156,694 m², will now supply 20% of the city’s annual heating demand with renewable energy from the sun.
Over the past seven months, 445 trucks loaded with solar collectors made the journey from Arcon-Sunmark’s headquarters to the construction site, where 12,436 collectors were installed. With an annual yield of 80,000 MWh, the system will provide heating for 4,400 average households or cover 20% of Silkeborg’s annual demand.
Søren Elisiussen, CEO of Arcon-Sunmark, expressed pride in the swift transition to renewable energy and credited the partnership with Silkeborg Forsyning for the project’s success. The contract was signed in February 2016, construction began in May, and by December, the installation was operational.
Experience – crucial to the project’s success
Despite being more than twice the size of any previous system, Arcon-Sunmark’s extensive experience in constructing large-scale solar heating systems ensured a smooth execution within the tight seven-month timeline.
Key Facts about the Solar Heating Solution:
- Number of collectors: 12,436
- Collector area: 156,694 m² (the largest solar collector field in the world)
- Location: Silkeborg, Denmark
- Annual production: 80,000 MWh
- Peak effect: 110 MW
- Annual demand covered: 20% (remainder covered by gas and surplus electricity)
- Number of consumers: 90,000
- Operational: End of 2016
- Lifespan: Minimum 25 years
Source: Arcon-Sunmark
Read more about solar thermal energy here.