New PV system put into operation at headquarters
The completion and commissioning of the photovoltaic system marks the conclusion of a key project in Söhner Kunststofftechnik’s sustainability strategy. Around 1,850 modules have been installed on the roof of a new assembly hall in the last few months. The system has a peak output of more than 600 kilowatts peak (kWp) and will be able to cover around 35 percent of the hall’s annual electricity needs in future. This corresponds to the energy consumption of roughly 200 households. Added to the existing PV systems’ output at the packaging manufacturer’s headquarters in Schwaigern, this results in a total output of 2.8 megawatts peak (MWp). The company’s goal is to generate 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energies and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.
Investment in 760 kWp solar park
This led Söhner to invest in its first company-owned solar park last year. A PV greenfield plant measuring around 3,500 square meters with a peak output of 760 kWp was built on a plot of land measuring 7,000 square meters. The plant is aligned east/west and is expected to generate approximately 735,000 kWh of electricity every year. A special feature of the construction was that a fastening and ballasting system developed by Söhner itself was used. This consists of plastic substructure containers to serve as ballast, along with adjustable adapter plates and metal frames for supporting, adjusting and fastening the solar panels. Another solar park of this type, set to generate 2.5 MWp, is currently being planned.
