Holcim Romania develops the project “Photoelectric power plant with an installed capacity of 0.99 MWp in the HOLCIM ALEȘD location”

Starting on the 1st of September 2022, Holcim Romania is developing a photovoltaic park with bifacial solar panels, currently the “Best Available Technology”, as part of the project “Photoelectric power plant with an installed capacity of 0.99 MWp in the HOLCIM ALEȘD location” (cement plant in Aleșd, Bihor County), project number 2021/327429, co-financed within the “Energy programme in Romania”, having Innovation Norway as program operator.

The objective of the project consists in the development of a photovoltaic power plant with a capacity of approximately 0.999 MW in the Holcim cement plant in Aleșd, Bihor County, with the aim of producing renewable electricity, thus reducing the need for electricity from conventional sources.

The main results targeted by the project include:

• a photovoltaic system with a total installed capacity of 0.999 MWe;
• reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 383 tons of CO2/year;
• energy produced from renewable sources, amounting to 1,254 MWh per year on an average;

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“Innovation is key to achieving our Net Zero carbon targets. Since the beginning of Holcim’s activity in Romania, 25 years ago, technology and sustainability of the production processes have been at the core of our development. We are in a stage where we need sustainable and durable building solutions that meet the regulatory requirements and social expectations, while protecting the environment. One of the solutions is to reduce energy and raw material consumption and use renewable energy resources and alternative raw materials and fuels, in line with the principles of the circular economy. Within this context, we will continue to improve, replicate best practices, innovate and transform ourselves as new technologies emerge and become accessible,” declared Bogdan Dobre, CEO Holcim Romania & Market Head Moldova.

The grant amounts to €357,400 and the project is implemented in partnership with International Development Norway AS (IDN) Norway – a Norwegian organization with more than 20 years of experience in international projects for the development of best practices in environment-friendly solutions.

Holcim sites have been optimized through the installation of the best available technologies at European level in order to reduce CO2 emissions. In fact, several years ago, at its cement plant in Alesd, Holcim commissioned a facility for the recovery of residual heat and transformation of the recovered energy into electricity, with no fuel consumption and without additional emissions compared to the normal production process.

“As a result of an extensive program of modernization and implementation of the best available technologies, we now have production equipment that is over 25% more energy efficient, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% and dust emissions by more than 90%, in 25 years of activity in Romania. Reducing our carbon footprint and achieving Europe’s goal of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 is only possible through green operations, by decarbonizing the way we build, by making buildings circular, by creating new from old, and by applying sustainability principles in everything we do,” says Edmund Piess – Sustainability Director at Holcim Romania.

To contribute to achieving this goal, Holcim Romania, through its local sustainability strategy, supports the Group-wide commitment to become a NET ZERO company by 2050 and to lead the transition to low carbon building.

“Energy programme in Romania” is meant for “energy with less carbon emissions and increased security of energy supply”. The program is part of the EEA and Norwegian grants 2014-2021. The EEA and Norwegian grants aim to reduce economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area (EEA) and strengthen bilateral relations between donor states (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and beneficiary states.