KNAPP goes green: photovoltaic system constructed at company headquarters

KNAPP AG is celebrating the startup of its photovoltaic system at the company headquarters in Hart bei Graz. The cutting-edge system was developed in close collaboration with Energie Steiermark to cover the corporation’s basic electricity requirements in Hart.

100 % of the basic electricity requirements covered internally

On July 31, 2018, KNAPP AG celebrated the launch of the photovoltaic system at its headquarters in Hart bei Graz. 704 modules produce a peak power of 197.12 kWp, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 65 family homes. KNAPP CFO Christian Grabner explains more: “Installing a photovoltaic was the next logical step towards sustainability. For several years now, we have been pursuing the idea of being completely self-sufficient when it comes to our energy supply. The photovoltaic system was especially designed to cover the majority of the base load at the Hart bei Graz site. In conjunction with our KNAPP goes green mobility initiative, in future, all the charging stations for our electric vehicles can be supplied with solar energy as well.”

Long-standing collaboration major factor behind success

Energie Steiermark, who also supplies KNAPP AG’s production facilities with power, was once again a reliable partner in this large-scale project.  The photovoltaic system was developed together with E1 Wärme und Energie GmbH. Throughout the entire project, the subsidiary of Energie Steiermark was on hand to provide KNAPP AG with support, from the earliest discussions and designing how the power would be supplied, to product selection, installation and eventually startup. The harmonious working relationship between these two leading Styrian companies was crucial to the project’s success. The managing boards of both Energie Steiermark and KNAPP AG celebrated together as the system went into operation for the first time.

Made in Austria – coming full circle

“More and more of our customers are looking to generate electricity themselves. Energie Steiermark use their expertise to endorse this trend and implement around 300 photovoltaic projects per year. The creation of added value within the region was especially important to KNAPP AG. Both the modules and the inverters were made in Austria. We have over 20,000 photovoltaic systems in operation across Styria,” added the two members of the Energie Steiermark Managing Board, Christian Purrer and Martin Graf. Creating added value in the local area and strengthening Austria’s position as a place of business were also top priorities when selecting other companies to be involved in the project. The Graz company Eichholzer & Frick ZT GmbH took care of general planning.

KNAPP goes green

As a home-grown Styrian global player, KNAPP is very aware of its responsibility and status as a role model and has been consistently implementing environmental measures for several years as part of the KNAPP goes green policy. For example, the company promotes environmentally-friendly means of transport; KNAPP employees receive public transport tickets, and over 20 electric cars have been purchased so that employees can carpool to work. In addition to this, the company is building several parking lots for the fleet of e-cars to further support employees in being more environmentally aware. 28 charging stations on the company premises make it possible for workers to fully charge their electric cars while at work – and with electricity that has been generated on site.

About KNAPP AG

KNAPP is one of the leading providers of all-in-one intralogistics solutions, automated storage systems and logistics software solutions. Across the globe, countless customers from the worlds of healthcare, fashion, retail, food retail and industry place their trust in the experience and innovative power of the KNAPP group. Each year, KNAPP invests around 30 million euros in research and development and its innovative solutions have made lasting impacts on intralogistics. With around 3,800 employees, the company generated a turnover of 710 million euros in the past business year 2017/2018.

About Energie Steiermark

Energie Steiermark AG was founded in 1996 as the umbrella company for Province of Styria’s energy sector. The company is one of the largest service companies in Austria and specializes in energy efficiency and innovative services in electricity, natural gas, heating and mobility. Over 1,700 employees use their experience and expertise to provide around 600,000 customers both nationally and internationally with a fair partnership. When it comes to energy production, the company only generates renewable energy from water, wind, sun and biomass.

The Province of Styria is the majority owner. In 2015, the Australian financial investor Macquarie bought the 25 % stake previously owned by Électricité de France. Board spokesman DI Christian Purrer and chief member of the managing board DI (FH) Mag. (FH) Martin Graf, MBA, have been at the helm of the company since April 2016. Find out more at www.e-steiermark.com.