March 2023

Photovoltaic expansion is in the starting blocks

Pollmann factory II in Vitis increases its PV system: Soon, 10 percent of the annual electricity demand will be covered by solar power from the own roof.

PressMiscellaneous

Where there is production, there is energy consumption - that is obvious. Manufacturing companies in particular are therefore called upon more than ever to save energy and thus make an active contribution to climate protection. And Pollmann International GmbH is aware of this responsibility. In the new construction of the second Austrian factory in Vitis, this awareness was expressed, among other things, in the perfect north-south orientation of the building and the full exploitation of all possibilities for energy recovery.

But saving energy alone is not enough; of course, electricity should also be generated. And so the first part of the photovoltaic system was commissioned in 2021, directly in the year after the production facility was opened. This 60 kWp system on the roof of the high-bay warehouse, however, is only the first step. This spring it will be extended by 352 modules, i.e. an additional 143 kWp. The investment costs for this amount to 150,000 euros.

To give you a better idea: the future total output of more than 200 kWp is equivalent to the average annual electricity demand of 60 households. This can cover around 10 percent of the Vitis plant's annual consumption. "Through the increased use of PV, Pollmann is making its contribution to environmental protection and to less dependence on electricity price developments," says Rainer Hobiger, the energy officer.

100 percent green electricity

Not only the electricity produced by the company, but also the electricity it buys in comes entirely from renewable energy sources. As confirmed by a certificate from Energieallianz Austria, both the headquarters in Karlstein and the second domestic location in Vitis are powered exclusively by green electricity. This underlines once again that sustainability is not an empty phrase in the Pollmann family business, but a lived principle of action.

The increasing mindfulness favors another development: More and more Pollmann company cars run on electricity. Even if the electricity for this is not generated by the company itself, this is positive news, because e-vehicles are more energy-efficient than cars with combustion engines due to their higher efficiency.