AMAG Austria Metall AG is working with Energie AG, the largest energy supplier in Upper Austria, to double the size of its existing rooftop photovoltaic solar power system at its facility in Ranshofen, Austria. In this way, the company is taking steps to further decarbonize its operations and reduce its dependence on natural gas. Once the work has been completed, this will be the largest rooftop photovoltaic system in Austria.
“As part of our efforts to decarbonize and move away from fossil fuels, green electricity from various sources will play a key role,” said Helmut Kaufmann, chairman of the management board and chief technical officer of AMAG Austria Metall AG. “Therefore, the expansion of our existing rooftop photovoltaic plant is another important step that we are taking together with Energie AG.”
AMAG is a leading Austrian premium supplier of high-quality cast and rolled aluminum products used in a wide range of industries, including the aircraft, automotive, sporting goods, lighting, mechanical engineering, construction, and packaging industries. Sustainability is a key aspect of its operations, and the company has implemented a number of efficiency and environmental projects over the years — such as the rooftop photovoltaic system installed in 2021.
For the planned expansion, the existing rooftop solar system (which currently covers an area of area of 60,000 sq m) will be doubled through the installation of 63,000 sq m of additional photovoltaic system modules on six halls at the AMAG site. The total area of 120,000 sq m will increase annual energy production from 7.3 GWh to 13.3 GWh. This additional amount of energy is comparable to the energy consumption of around 3,700 households per year.
The electricity generated is used exclusively for AMAG’s own requirements and supplements the electricity mix, which has been 100% renewable since 2017. With the expansion of the rooftop photovoltaic system, the company is taking a further step on its path to carbon neutrality, which is accompanied by ongoing technological improvements and innovations to increase energy efficiency.
“Solar energy is already playing a key role in sustainable and regional energy generation,” said Leonhard Schitter, CEO of Energie AG. “With the doubling of the existing rooftop photovoltaic plant in Ranshofen, we are continuing our expansion offensive for solar power together with AMAG, thus making an active contribution to a fossil-free energy future.”
Construction work starts in June 2024 and commissioning will take place by the end of the year.