thyssenkrupp Rasselstein – Germany’s sole manufacturer of tinplate – is constructing a large-scale ground-mounted photovoltaic system on its plant grounds. The construction project is being carried out in collaboration with VSB Integrated Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of the VSB Group, which has been part of TotalEnergies since 2025.

The PV plant is part of the comprehensive green power concept for the Andernach site and is being implemented under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). VSB Integrated Energy Solutions is responsible for the construction, financing, and operation of the plant. thyssenkrupp Rasselstein is providing two sites and will purchase 100% of the electricity generated for an initial term of 20 years. The solar power generated will help reduce the site’s and its products’ carbon footprint in the future.

“Construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026,” said Dr Thorsten Krenke, CTO of thyssenkrupp Rasselstein GmbH, who is one of the signatories to the PPA. “Completion of the PV system is scheduled for mid-2027.”

The steel substructure for the approximately 12,000 solar modules will be constructed using thyssenkrupp Steel’s CO2-reduced bluemint Steel with the durable ZM EcoProtect Solar coating, which was developed specifically for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems. The PV plant is being built directly on the factory grounds on two previously undeveloped areas and covers 5.2 hectares, which is roughly equivalent to the area of seven soccer fields. With a peak capacity of 8 megawatts, it will generate approximately 8 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. This could supply around 2,000 households with electricity each year.

“Our goal was to meet part of our green electricity needs locally. The result is the construction of an on-site PV plant, which demonstrates that this is also possible in an established industrial setting,” said Krenke.

“With the project in Andernach, thyssenkrupp Rasselstein is demonstrating how renewable electricity can be used directly at the plant site. As the implementation partner, we are handling the planning, financing, construction, and operation of the system. In this way, we are creating a reliable on-site solution that contributes to decarbonisation and offers long-term planning security,” explained Frederic Wagner, managing director of VSB Integrated Energy Solutions GmbH.

The on-site photovoltaic system serves as a model within thyssenkrupp Steel. It represents another step toward a sustainable energy supply.

“Green power purchase agreements are a key component of our decarbonisation strategy,” commented Dennis Becher, head of energy management at thyssenkrupp Steel. “As the Steel Europe business segment, we already cover more than 20 per cent of our electricity procurement through Power Purchase Agreements. The new on-site PPA between thyssenkrupp Rasselstein and VSB Integrated Energy Solutions combines local generation and local consumption with long-term price hedging and sustainability – making it another building block in our growing green power portfolio.”