Photovoltaic technology is an environmentally-friendly alternative for generating electricity. As an especially environmentally-friendly company that acts sustainably, HAVI Logistics naturally adopted this eco-innovation. The first cornerstones were laid at the Distribution Centers in Italy and Spain.
The Sun is a gigantic and virtually inexhaustible power plant. Every year it supplies the Earth with over 219,000 trillion kilowatt hours of energy free of charge. This is 3,000 times more than is consumed by the total global population. Photovoltaic technology utilizes this natural energy from the Sun. More and more people regard its use as a powerful and economically sound alternative to generating electricity from fossil fuels or nuclear power.
Italy and Spain, each blessed with more than 2,000 hours of sunshine every year, are two of the best places for harvesting energy with solar panels. At the end of 2006 the cornerstone was laid for a photovoltaic system to be installed on the roof of the HAVI Logistics Distribution Center in the Spanish town of Osuna. In 2009 the Monterotondo-based DC in Italy followed suit. Both countries are virtually ideal for the solar project: in the summer months peak temperatures are around 40 degrees Celsius and annual solar insolation is between 1,350 and 1,750 kWh/m². By comparison, in European countries located farther north the figure comes to only about 1,000 kWh/m².
Between 52 and 65 per cent of the annual energy consumption for the freezers, cool docks and chilled warehouses are supplied by the photovoltaic systems in Spain and Italy. By using solar power the logistics service provider is reducing the output of dangerous greenhouse gases by both DCs together by a massive 422 tons of carbon dioxide. If HAVI Logistics had planted 12,300 trees instead of building the solar system, this would have had the same effect on the environment.
The solar energy system at the Monterotondo-based DC in Italy went into operation on a very rainy and gloomy December day. Never mind - the HAVI Logistics solar energy system was finally on line and, owing to its special configuration, producing approx 20 kWh. This was a good “green” winter day for HAVI Logistics. In Osuna as well, the photovoltaic system is now in operation. The Spanish HAVI Logistics team had to overcome some political and municipal obstacles before construction of the solar energy system could finally get underway on 2 November 2009. The official "housewarming party" took place on 23 February.
By using the power of the Sun, HAVI Logistics has taken a giant step in the direction of effective climate protection. At the same time, the company will realize the oxymoron “freeze with the Sun".
Mediacontact:
Jasmin Schürgers
HAVI Global Logistics GmbH
Geitlingstraße 20
47228 Duisburg, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 2065 695 541
Fax: +49 (0) 2065 695 80 541
Internet: www.havi-logistics.com
