Solarstep Energie GmbH, a partner of IBC SOLAR AG, equipped the logistics centre of Arvato SCM Solutions in Landsberg near Halle (Germany) with a 1.7 MW PV rooftop system. The almost 6,500 modules were installed with the mounting system Solarstep light on the flat roofs of the five halls in just eight weeks.
Energy audit implemented
Arvato focuses on combining ecology and economy at its distribution centre in Landsberg. The company provides logistics services to customers from the healthcare, consumer products and telecommunications industry, among others, in five hall modules. By using an energy audit, various options for improving the energy efficiency were tested. After all, 2.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity are still consumed each year in Landsberg, for example to operate conveyor technology, forklift trucks and air-conditioning systems for the cooling of temperature-controlled goods.
High self-sufficiency rate
The decision was ultimately taken in favour of a customised and modularly expandable PV system of IBC SOLAR, with which Arvato is largely independent of external energy consumption and is able to produce up to 70 percent of the required electricity directly on site in the future. The expected energy production is 1.65 million kWh/a. The high self-sufficiency rate of the 1.7 MW plant is achieved by a direct connection of the PV system to the building technology and an intelligent control system.
With a 980-tonnes CO2 saving each year, the PV system is not only improving the environmental balance of Arvato, but will further reduce the electricity supply costs due to the cheap production price of solar power. “By doing this, we are enhancing the climate-neutral logistics and saving operating costs,” explains Georg Oelze, Director Operations at Arvato. (HCN)
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