Schoeller Textil AG is consuming its own energy, generated on the roofs of its production facility in Sevelen, Switzerland, where 2,838 solar modules currently cover 4,800 square metres of space. 

The modules have produced 950,000 kWh of solar energy in their first year of operation and Schoeller has used 85% of that energy for its own operations, saving around CHF 85,000. The remaining 15% of energy produced was fed back into the electricity grid and used by external consumers.

Calculations show that not only does the use of solar energy benefit the environment, but the plant will have paid for itself within seven to eight years.

“This performance exceeded the anticipated average annual output of 865,000 kWh by around 10 per cent,” reports Rolf Landolt, head of engineering at Schoeller. “The annual production of the modules equates to the average energy consumption of approximately 238 households at 4,000 kWh per household.

“The intention behind this substantial investment of approximately 700,000 Swiss francs was to reduce the high electricity costs with the aid of a sustainable energy source,” explains Siegfried Winkelbeiner, CEO of Schoeller Textil AG. “The decision to invest in a more ecological future was taken in November 2018, but a partial refurbishment of the roof was brought forward before the solar panels were installed.”

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