Polaria became interested in solar electricity, because it supports its strategy of responsible operating methods. The company strives to make purchases from geographically nearby areas as far as possible, which is best achieved by green electricity produced on site. However, building a solar power plant for the factory was a challenge, because no natural land was found for the solar power plant, and regarding the roof installation, the numerous expansions of the factory building, made in different eras, caused their own difficulties. In addition, it was important for Polaria that the size class of the power plant was large enough so that its effect on the plant's electricity consumption would be truly significant.

FLEXIBILITY WAS THE KEY TO THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS

When a suitable place for the solar power plant could not be found on the roof of the factory or on the ground, Solarigo's design team resolved the situation with an offer in which Solarigo built three car roofs and installed the solar power plant on top of them. During the planning phase of the pilot project, the solution model was changed flexibly, for example, the steel structures of the power plant ended up being procured from a domestic supplier in the middle of the design work.

"The collaboration has gone smoothly, communication with the project team and the installation team has been flexible. The issues that need to be resolved have been dealt with in a cross-over and pile-on style towards a common goal. The aftercare of the project has also gone elegantly", says Timo Karhula, CEO of Polaria.

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Now the solar power plant covers up to a third of the electricity consumption of Polaria's Mäntyharju factory in the summer and about 10% of the whole year's consumption. As a manufacturing industrial facility, Polaria's electricity consumption varies significantly between weekdays and weekends, when, especially in the summer, it is not possible to utilize all the solar electricity produced at the factory on weekends. It was important to Polaria that all the clean energy produced be used 100% for profit, which was provided by Solarigo's parent company Lumme Energia. Lumme Energia buys the excess production of the Polaria solar power plant, from which Lumme's customers receive renewable solar electricity.

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ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY HAS BEEN ACCEPTED POSITIVELY

Polaria's various stakeholders have received the solar power project positively. Responsibility measures are invariably important to Polaria's customer base and they also support other stakeholders' own responsibility goals. The employer's pioneering in environmental matters is also perceived to be increasingly important. At the same time, the entire staff of Polaria has been able to enjoy the shelter offered by the canopy, both in winter snowfalls and in the scorching summer sun.