Iliašovce/Vienna, September 26, 2024
The Austrian-based renewable energy provider Enery has officially opened its solar power plant in the Iliašovce Municipality. Developed by Enery, this new facility will supply clean electricity to Šariš Brewery through Slovakia’s first-ever virtual power purchase agreement (vPPA).
“This is the first vPPA of its kind in Slovakia, while the trend toward green PPAs has been growing across Europe for years,” said Ján Horváth, Country Manager for Slovakia at Enery. “Reducing their carbon footprint is becoming a key challenge that industries must address in the coming years.”
With a capacity of 6.3 MW, the power plant will generate 7.2 GWh of green energy annually, covering up to 92% of the brewery’s electricity consumption. The newly operating solar park in Eastern Slovakia occupies an area of 8.8 hectares, which is categorized as infertile soil. The power plant includes 10 582 PV modules with technology which will help avoid approximately 1 275 tons of CO2 emissions.
“Being the number one company in the beer market in Slovakia only underpins our committed to be a leader in sustainability as well. Brewing beer from the Sun – that is our goal and promise to our customers and partners. We are proud to partner with Enery – based on our agreement, the Iliašovce plant will cover 92% of the Brewery Šariš energy needs. Approximately 8% will be covered by our own solar panels installed in the brewery plant. I am glad we take part in supporting Slovakia’s transition to a greener future.” – Martin Grygařík, Sales Director, Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko
The 10-year agreement will provide Šariš Brewery with a range of benefits, including predictable energy costs, reduced CO2 emissions, progress toward ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets, and an enhanced reputation as an environmentally responsible business. “Green electricity availability will play an increasingly vital role for companies,” added Jan Horváth. “Securing green energy will soon be a key consideration not only for operations but also for securing financing.”
As a responsible renewable energy provider, Enery is always looking to implement sustainable solutions which enable the efficient dual land use across our assets. In the case of the solar power plant in Iliašovce, the grassy area around the photovoltaic panels will be used by the nearby farm for sheep grazing. This concept has already been applied in many European countries, including our portfolio, and it is a valuable contribution for the ecosystems.
“We believe that the number of green power plants like Iliašovce will also increase in Slovakia. Our company is also working intensively on several projects, not only in the field of solar power generation.“, adds Jan Horváth.
About Enery
Enery is an independent renewable energy provider dedicated to supplying its customers with reliable, affordable, long-term green energy. With a diversified green fleet currently generating almost 624 GWh of clean electricity from 432 MW and powering 240 000 households, Enery is at the forefront of driving the CEE region’s transition to sustainable energy. The company’s ambitious plans include ongoing development projects with more than 8 GW in 11 countries. With its diverse and multidisciplinary team of 30 nationalities, Enery is focusing on developing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects by integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into every aspect of day-to-day business.
About Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko
Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko, as number one in the Slovak beer market, has 580 employees and is one of the most modern breweries in Central Europe. Its portfolio of brands includes Pilsner Urquell, Šariš, Velkopopovický Kozel, Radegast, Gambrinus, Smädný Mních, Captain Jack, Peroni, and Birell non-alcoholic beer. It is proud of all its brands, especially Šariš Žiarivá 12 % a Šariš Iskrivá 10 %, which won gold medals in the tasting competition Slovak Beer Crown in 2023. The direction Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko is taking in the area of sustainable development is defined by its sustainability strategy To the Future 2030. The activities of the company in this area are summed up in this Integrated Sustainability Report.
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