New large-scale photovoltaic installation: REWE’s Henstedt-Ulzburg site goes solar

Hamburg. The REWE Group is making an investment to protect the climate and diversify its power supply. A large-scale photovoltaic system is now being installed on the roof of the administration and logistics centre in Henstedt-Ulzburg. The solar power generated by the system will be used at the site. EHA Energie-Handels-Gesellschaft is responsible for the planning and installation as well as the continued technical and commercial operation of the system.

Starting in July 2023, the new photovoltaic system will provide a portion of the property’s energy. The solar panels, with a module surface area of 6,480 square metres, will generate an output of 1,377 kWp, equivalent to a power yield of 1.4 million kWh per year. This is enough energy to meet approximately 10 percent of the site’s needs. Two combined heat and power plants also supply the site with electricity, heat, and cooling.

Standardised concept for solar installations

The REWE Group plans to install hundreds of photovoltaic systems on selected Group buildings over the next few years. The green electricity that is generated will be used exclusively at the relevant site, although the savings will be consolidated within the cooperative group.

This will help protect the REWE Group from market price fluctuations by ensuring a diverse power supply and will also reduce the burden on the power grid. EHA, the REWE Group’s central energy service provider, is responsible for the technical planning and installation of the solar power systems. To this end, EHA’s experts have developed a standardised concept for the PV systems that functions as an intelligent solution for existing buildings and facilitates the operation of the systems over the long term. The system, which can be expanded and scaled in a modular fashion, has pre-assembled component blocks that can be adapted to suit each location. EHA is also planning and coordinating the construction and ongoing maintenance of the PV systems as well as assuming the energy-related management role.

Sustainability and renewable energy have long been important topics at REWE. So we are pleased that this new solar power system will help us take another step toward a sustainable future, and at the same time make an important contribution to climate protection, says Jochen Vogel, Chairman of the Board of REWE Nord.
Jan-Oliver Heidrich, the Managing Director of EHA Energie-Handels-Gesellschaft, adds: The PV project in Henstedt-Ulzburg is an impressive milestone in the REWE Group’s solar power campaign and sets an inspiring example for other companies.

Opened in autumn 2022, the administration and logistics centre in Henstedt-Ulzburg near Hamburg is the central location of REWE Nord and is considered the most modern within the REWE Group: The regional hub has a total area of about 104,000 square metres. On the ground floor is the logistics centre, which includes a fully automated system for dry goods. The upper two floors are occupied by employees. The site includes modern offices and an impressive space for seminars and presentations. It also offers about 1,000 parking spaces in outdoor and multi-storey car parks – including e-charging stations and bicycle storage areas. The site received the gold certificate from the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Society) for its sustainable architecture.

Optimally supplied: REWE Region Nord

REWE Region Nord, with its head office in Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, is an important local supplier in Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg, and Bremen. More than 700 REWE stores and 100 nahkauf stores receive goods from the logistics sites in Stelle, Lehrte, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Breuna, and Sottrum, supplying around 1 million customers every day. Approximately 33,500 employees work in the stores and the logistics and administrative sites, including around 1,200 apprentices.
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