Stadtwerke Oberursel runs the TaunaBad, the public pool in Oberursel, a town of about 47,000 at the foot of the Taunus hills. Before the outdoor season opened
Municipal utility Stadtwerke Oberursel has installed a dual solar system featuring photovoltaic shade pergolas and a solar fence at the TaunaBad outdoor public pool in Oberursel, Germany. The combined installation has a total capacity exceeding 107 kilowatts peak and is projected to generate approximately 107,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Almost all of the generated power will be consumed on site to run the facility's technical systems, including recently upgraded pool pumps.
The project consists of two distinct setups installed prior to the opening of the outdoor swimming season. Beside the children's pool area, the utility constructed three freestanding pergolas covering approximately 3,862 square feet (360 square meters) of lawn space. The structure features roofs integrated with 180 solar panels, with each pergola measuring 34 by 38 feet (10.4 by 11.5 meters). This solar canopy section is expected to generate around 69,500 kilowatt-hours per year and received financial support from the state of Hessen through its municipal climate protection and adaptation funding program.
In addition to the lawn canopies, the utility mounted 64 vertical bifacial solar modules onto an existing fence separating the pool grounds from the adjacent parking lot. These double-sided panels capture both direct sunlight and light reflecting off the parking surface, providing higher early morning and late afternoon production compared to standard tilted arrays. The fence installation is forecasted to produce roughly 38,000 kilowatt-hours annually.
According to calculations from Stadtwerke Oberursel, the combined solar output will prevent approximately 30.1 metric tons (33.2 short tons) of carbon dioxide emissions per year. The predicted generation equivalent could power roughly 43 average German households, based on the utility's estimate of 28 homes for the pergolas and 15 for the fence. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration data showing average American residential consumption at 865 kilowatt-hours per month in 2024, that same total generation would cover about ten U.S. homes due to higher energy usage driven largely by air conditioning.
The outdoor facility welcomed approximately 95,000 visitors during the season, marking an increase of roughly 3,000 guests compared to the previous year. The highest single-day attendance occurred on June 27, when 3,645 people visited the complex. Stadtwerke Oberursel announced that the outdoor season will conclude on September 13, with the renovated indoor pool reopening the following morning.
Originally reported by Autonocion.com on Sep 8, 2026.
