Hydro invests in solar park

The photovoltaic plant in Trzcianka, Poland, will generate 7.5 GWh per year and power a new extrusion press.

The solar farm will be built next to the extrusion plant and will supply electricity directly to the mill. It will power the new 8-inch extrusion press currently under construction. It will also produce enough power to meet some of the plant's remaining electricity needs. The total investment for the solar farm is €5 million, according to Hydro.

Massive reduction in footprint

With rising electricity prices in Europe, the investment will provide the plant with clean, renewable electricity. Since the Polish power grid is predominantly coal-fired, the solar park will reduce the carbon footprint of the extrusion process on the new extrusion press from an average of 0.68 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of aluminum to an estimated 0.14 kilograms.

Mauro Spizzo, vice president of the Eastern Europe region at Hydro Extrusions, calls it "a big step for our Polish operations to support Hydro's climate goal of reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. The solar park gives our customers access to aluminum profiles extruded with minimal environmental impact."