Hamburg and Seekirchen boost municipal solar power installations

The Austrian town of Seekirchen has installed 400 kW peak (kWp) of photovoltaic panels on its schools, saving about €37,000 in electricity costs last year. Mayor Konrad Pieringer said the system is not yet at full capacity and plans to double output to 800 kWp, expand storage and use the generated electricity to charge municipal vehicles on weekends. The expansion is expected to cut the town’s yearly electricity bill by roughly €200,000.

In Hamburg, Germany, the number of photovoltaic systems on public buildings reached a record 286 installations, with total installed capacity rising 50 % to 11 MW (11,153 kWp) in the last year. About 3,680 kWp was added in 2025, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of around 3,700 households. The growth was driven largely by new solar arrays on school roofs and projects by HEnW KommunalEnergie GmbH, which added 35 new installations totalling 2,828 kWp. Senator Katharina Fegebank highlighted the contribution of solar power to climate goals and energy security.