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The Horn & Co. Group has invested in a photovoltaic system at its laboratory in Wenden-Hünsborn as a deliberate step toward protecting the environment and optimizing its own cost structure. In the context of the expansion and relocation of our sample preparation department to the newly established PV (sample preparation) Hall 2 – the former production facility of a window manufacturer – the interest in and construction of sustainable energy sources was a logical next step.
Since our INDUSTRIAL LAB (Horn & Co. Analytics GmbH) became involved in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district’s “Ökoprofit” initiative, which promotes sustainable business practices, we have been striving to partially or fully offset the high energy consumption of our INDUSTRIAL LAB and our sample preparation processes through the use of photovoltaics. The recent move to PV Hall 2 provided the perfect opportunity to put these goals into action.
Construction on the project began on October 16, 2023, following extensive preliminary planning and an assessment of the building’s structural integrity. The existing infrastructure of PV Hall 2 was expanded with a newly installed power line originating from the main laboratory’s transformer station. A fiber-optic cable connection ensured integration into the company’s internal network. Over the next few weeks, the utility provider plans to dismantle the existing power connection, and once the energy supplier has replaced the meter, the system will also feed excess energy into the public grid.
In a coordinated effort, a 135 kWp photovoltaic system was installed on the roof of the hall. The system went online right on schedule on December 21, 2023, and since then, not only the PV hall but also the adjacent laboratory building have been efficiently supplied with green electricity. By January 2024, the system had already generated 765 kWh of electrical energy.
Out of conviction and with great pleasure, we at the Horn & Co. Group are contributing to the fight against climate change and would like to express our appreciation for the support and professional execution provided by all participating companies, from the electricians and civil engineers to the energy and high-voltage power engineers. Their dedication has contributed significantly to a smooth and efficient construction process.
