Opel supplies its production sites by solar energy
• Opel puts into service a large solar plant on the roof of the factory of Russelsheim
• The power of 8.15 MW-c makes it one of the most powerful european factories
• The fleet of Opel Ampera Siege of solar electricity has recharged
Opel continued on to solar energy and activates one of the largest solar power roof in Europe, with a power of 8.15 megawatts-peak. As Opel Kaiserslautern (Germany) and Zaragoza (Spain) plants, Russelsheim plant is part of a large European network of factories equipped with solar panels on the roof, which manage to produce 19.10 million each year kilowatt hours of electricity from the sun. This amount of electricity would be sufficient to meet the annual needs of 5,800 households.
As part of his project for the production of renewable electricity, and the investor Wattner Opel AG of Cologne adds an extra row of solar panels on the roof of Russelsheim and were connected to the public network. The panel on the roof of the building K40 has a power output of 1.4 MW-crete. Other already installed solar panels on the roofs of buildings M55 and K65 have a capacity of 2.2 MW and 3.1 MW-peak-to-peak. Thanks to this development, the solar power roof Russelsheim now has a total capacity of 8.15 MW-peak, reaching the projected power at the beginning of the project. The solar power plant on the roof of K170 product 1,45 MW-peak, and has been operating since 2010.
Solar panels Russelsheim plant covering an area of 225,000 square meters. This surface corresponds to the size of 32 football fields. The Russelsheim plant will generate about 7.30 million kilowatt hours (kWh) from the sun's rays. It will thus allow to reduce the CO2 emissions of about 3,150 tons per year. Solar electricity is injected into the network which feeds the plant and is used directly for the production of vehicles. The UNUSED electricity is returned in the public network, managed by the municipal department of energy Mainz.
The 19.10 million kilowatt hours of electricity produced each year in Europe allow the manufacturer to avoid the emission of approximately 8,200 tons of CO2. The company also plans to build this type of configuration for other Opel plants in Europe.
"For Opel, protection of the environment is everything. Innovative and ecological equipment is not confined only to our vehicles. Our production is also environmentally sober. With the new solar power plant Russelsheim, we contribute to the preservation of resources and the reduction of CO2 emissions, "says Anja Kleyboldt Opel" Director Logistics Strategy Projects. "
"The production of renewable energy near the place where the energy is needed is of particular importance for Wattner. Rarely has yielded something as effective as the Opel plant, "assures Uhlenhut Ulrich, President of Wattner AG.
Renewable energies and environmentally compatible mobility
In addition, the Opel Ampera, "European Car of the Year 2012" and best selling electric sedans with more than 20% of the market in the first half of 2012, will take its energy from solar sources Siege of Opel Russelsheim. In September 2009, a "solar mobile" was installed in front of the building Adam Opel Russelsheim. It is a photovoltaic system that revolves around two axes, allowing him to always move in the direction of the sun and accordingly achieve maximum efficiency. Solar energy generated from this system supplies the electric network of the headquarters building and also serves to feed the two charging stations for electric Ampera the fleet.
