ruth901
The Antonius Community Foundation covers around 25 percent of its electricity needs with solar power. The system is expected to pay for itself in ten years and run for 20 years. At the same time, the fleet is being electrified.
Fulda – Fulda – The community foundation “Antonius: Together Human” now generates around a quarter of its electricity itself, thereby saving around 170 tons of carbon dioxide every year. The foundation announced this in a press release. A new large-scale photovoltaic system has been in operation in the Antonius Quarter since May 2025, which has since fed around 260,000 kilowatt hours of solar power into the district's own and the public grid.
The energy demand in the district is high and is now partly powered by self-produced electricity, for example for computers, lighting, cooling cells, ovens and charging points. The new system covers around 25 percent of the entire electricity requirement on the site, it goes on to say.
Solar power from your own roof at Antonius for more independence
The PV system extends over 1,412 square meters of roof area on three buildings: the Startbahn work school, the Antonius gardening center and a machine hall. With 700 modules it achieves an output of 315 kilowatt peak. The solar power generated is currently also used to power six charging stations for electric vans and electric cars; According to the statement, Antonius feeds unneeded energy into the public grid.
Antonius uses this to generate around 260,000 kilowatt hours of clean solar power every year. “This saves around 170 tons of carbon dioxide every year – an environmental impact that would otherwise require planting 14,300 trees.” Around 800,000 euros were invested, which is expected to pay for itself within ten years. The planned term of the system is 20 years.
“In view of strongly fluctuating energy prices and our own ecological demands, it is becoming increasingly important for us to stand on our own two feet when it comes to energy,” explains Volker Eichenauer, head of construction and building technology at antonius. They are therefore not only relying on photovoltaics, but are also electrifying the fleet and replacing typical electricity guzzlers with energy-saving models. The aim is “to achieve the greatest possible independence and future security with responsibility for the people who live and work with us”.
Economic independence as a goal
Antonius relied on regional partners to plan and implement the PV system. The technology partner was Elektro Burkart from Künzell, the project planning was carried out by Helfrich Ingenieure from Bad Kissingen. The Fulda company Hodes-Bau was responsible for the complex cable laying, which was necessary due to the district's own medium-voltage system. The construction time was around a year.
In order to become even more independent of network-related forced shutdowns in the future, Antonius is currently examining the use of electricity storage. This means that excess solar power could be temporarily stored and used to increase security of supply. The charging network for the company's own fleet as well as for customers and employees is also to be expanded.
The community foundation is already self-sufficient in terms of heat supply, supplied by its own wood chip plant. With the new photovoltaic system, antonius now sees itself taking a decisive step further on the path to a climate-neutral and crisis-proof future in terms of power supply.
Just a few weeks ago, Antonius opened a new beer garden in Fulda. The panoramic view over Fulda and into the Rhön invites you to linger in Antonius Park.
