Wieland, the Ulm-based manufacturer of semi-finished copper and copper alloy products, is building a large solar park less than ten kilometres from its headquarters in the nearby Danube valley. This is being built on a contiguous area of 24 hectares in Erbach, a small town just a few kilometres southwest of Ulm, Germany.
Finding the right area
In order to find the right area, the company called on landowners to register plots suitable for electricity generation. "The response was and is enormous," says Erwin Mayr, Managing Director of the Wieland Group.
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Mayr goes on to say: "The site in Erbach is ideal for the start of our own electricity generation for two reasons. Firstly, it is virtually on our doorstep and secondly, important building decisions have already been taken, so we can start implementation promptly."
Commissioning next year
The implementation of the project is now to begin soon. The components for the photovoltaic system are to be ordered this year. Commissioning would then possibly be possible as early as the second quarter of 2024, according to the company. For Wieland, the planned investment is worthwhile. After all, with the projected electricity yield of 26 gigawatt hours per year, Wieland will be able to cover six per cent of its huge annual electricity needs.
Net zero planned by 2045
In addition, the planned solar park will contribute to a reduction of about 18,000 tonnes of annual CO2 emissions in the future. This corresponds to four per cent of the Wieland Group's emissions from the use of purchased electricity.
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"Generating our own electricity through photovoltaics is an essential part of our sustainability strategy," explains Erwin Mayr. "This project brings us another big step closer to our goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045," emphasises the Wieland CEO. (su/mfo)
