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AGRANA forges ahead with photovoltaic-based green power initiative at fruit juice concentrate plant in Kröllendorf

Collaboration with RWA Solar Solutions as the installer and operator of the large-scale photovoltaic installation covering an area of 2,700 m2.

Date: 27.05.2022

Austria Juice GmbH has constructed a large-scale photovoltaic installation on the site of its fruit juice concentrate plant in Kröllendorf, Upper Austria. Austria Juice is a joint venture between AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG (AGRANA) and Raiffeisen Ware Austria AG (RWA). In Kröllendorf, it produces fruit juice concentrates, fruit purées and natural flavours as well as beverage compounds and not-from-concentrate juices for the downstream beverages sector.

The photovoltaic installation was implemented under a contracting model in collaboration with RWA Solar Solutions and is now online. A total of around 1,500 photovoltaic modules covering an area of approximately 2,700 m2 have been installed on the roof of the plant and, with a capacity 556 kWp, will produce around 540,000 kWh of power annually. The total annual solar power output generated at the Kröllendorf site is equivalent to the requirements of approximately 155 households or 80 trips around the globe in an electric car.

The power generated by the photovoltaic system will be entirely consumed by Austria Juice. RWA Solar Solutions GmbH, a subsidiary of RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria AG, is the planner, constructor and commercial owner of the photovoltaic system. It will also undertake the ongoing operation and maintenance of the photovoltaic system.

In the past year, AGRANA launched a green power initiative as part of its climate strategy and with the objective of achieving climate-neutral production activities by 2040. Besides switching to renewable energy sources, the plan also includes the construction of photovoltaic installations. Following on from the potato starch factory in Gmünd, the fruit juice concentrate plant in Kröllendorf is now the second of a total of four production sites in Austria where large-scale photovoltaic systems will be built this year.

“If we want to achieve the energy revolution, we need to rely more on solar power in order to protect the climate. It is also imperative at the moment to become more economically independent of rising energy prices,” is something the General Manager of RWA Solar Solutions, Klemens Neubauer, and Austria Juice CEO Franz Ennser both agree on.

About AGRANA

AGRANA converts agricultural raw materials into high-quality foods and numerous industrial intermediate products. Around 9,000 employees at 55 production facilities worldwide generate annual Group revenue of approximately € 2.9 billion. The Group was founded in 1988, is the global leader in fruit preparations and also a major producer of fruit juice concentrates in Europe as well as being a key manufacturer of customised potato, corn and wheat starch products in addition to organic ethanol in its Starch segment. AGRANA is one of the leading sugar companies in Central and Eastern Europe.

About Solar Solutions

RWA Solar Solutions GmbH is a subsidiary of RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria operating in the energy sector which specialises in the construction of large-scale photovoltaic systems for commercial and industrial customers. The wide range of services offered extends from the planning and financing of solar power installations to their construction and ongoing operation.

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