Martin Bauer Invests in Environmental Protection

The array has been installed on four rooftops covering a total area of 2000 square metres. Ideally aligned southwards, the rooftops belong to the four connected storage areas accommodating raw materials and finished goods.

30/10/08 Martin Bauer invests 1.6 million euros in a new photovoltaic array in Vestenbergsgreuth.

Franz Ehrhardt, Environmental Protection Representative and Head of Engineering at the Vestenbergsgreuth facility is convinced: "Central Franconia is a very sunny region, so that a large photovoltaic array offers a highly efficient energy alternative". The array has been installed on four rooftops covering a total area of 2000 square metres. Ideally aligned southwards, the rooftops belong to the four connected storage areas accommodating raw materials and finished goods.

The photovoltaic array uses solar cells to directly convert sunlight into electrical energy. It is capable of producing 400,000 kilowatt hours of CO2-free electricity with the two rooftop installations every year, corresponding to the annual electricity requirement of around 100 four-person households, or the gas consumption of 2500 4-person households.

This concept offers a means of reducing the climate-damaging CO2 emissions produced when fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas or oil are burnt, by 164,480 kg CO2 every year. The new array has been fully connected up to the grid since the middle of the year. The 320,000 kWh saving corresponds to the average annual power consumption of more than 60 four-person households. The company is currently planning to extend the photovoltaic installation to cover more of the firm's rooftops and implementation is expected to take place in the middle of 2009.