In Partnership Towards ELAN's Green Transition
New solar panels with a nominal power of 1.8 MW, installed on the roofs of the company's production units in 2023, will significantly contribute to achieving the company's goals for electrical self-sufficiency. An additional 4,500 solar panels, along with the already installed 2,500 panels, cover an impressive 15,000 m2 of roofs, with the generated electricity providing approximately one-third of Elan's needs. The newly installed panels will provide the company with an annual energy savings of 1824 MWh, and this gain will positively impact the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, expected to decrease by more than 850 tons annually.
An important step in Elan's green transition is the initiation of a new biomass boiler. The new heating device using wood biomass, successfully installed by Interenergo in the same year, will enable Elan to incorporate another renewable source - biomass, and by using wood residues from production, adhere to the principles of a circular economy. The replacement of the old and inefficient system will simultaneously increase the energy efficiency of the heating system.
The mentioned projects are part of a multi-year collaboration between the two companies. Through a partnership that began in 2018 with the renovation of lighting in one production hall, we have executed a total of eight joint projects to date. After the success of the first project, Elan entrusted us with the renovation of lighting in three additional halls, the overhaul of the cooling system, and the installation of a solar power plant for electricity production. The first phase of solar panel installation in 2022 was a crucial initial step towards achieving electrical self-sufficiency from renewable energy sources. Additionally, the first phase of the installed panels with a nominal power of 1 MW allowed for an annual energy savings of 1060 MWh and a reduction in CO2 emissions by 500 tons.
All projects are implemented through the energy contracting model, allowing ELAN to direct its resources and energy to its core activities, while Interenergo invests in and takes care of the operation and maintenance of the installed energy systems. More about energy contracting can be found here. In addition to Elan's sustainable transformation, all projects have improved working conditions and employee satisfaction, reliability, and efficiency of the systems, contributing significantly to economic and energy savings for the company.
We are proud that Elan, one of the leading companies in sustainability and sports in Slovenia, has decided to trust us with the implementation of projects that support the achievement of their established sustainability goals. Regarding the importance and reasons for this collaboration, the company's director, Blaž Šterk, stated: 'ELAN embodies innovation, a connection to nature, and activity. These are values that are also inherent in the Interenergo´s culture. That is why we take great pride in their decision to entrust us with eight projects in their green transformation process. We have successfully reached all of the ambitious objectives we had set, and the project results ensure significant energy and CO2 emission savings.'
To what extent is Elan aware of the importance of what we are doing together and how crucial it is for a company to have an experienced partner in pursuing sustainability goals, was described by the director of the Winter Sports Division and Vice President of the Elan Group, Leon Korošec: 'Sustainable development is of significant importance to us, and we have set a particularly high goal of reducing our carbon footprint. It is a very ambitious goal, and collaboration makes achieving such a transition notably smoother and faster compared to doing it alone. That is why we are pleased to collaborate with an experienced partner, Interenergo, a company that understands our energy needs and can respond with the right offer that adapts to both our capabilites and needs.'
More about our past projects can be found here.