PVTIME – Atria Finland, together with Nurmon Aurinko Oy, is implementing the expansion of the solar power park in connection with the Nurmo plant. The panel capacity of the current power park, commissioned in 2018, will almost double: the panel capacity of the extension will be 5 MWp and it will consist of more than 9,400 solar panels. The solar park covers an area of almost 7 hectares, which is equivalent to more than 9 football fields. It produces about 4,250 MWh of solar electricity per year, which corresponds to the annual consumption of about 2,100 apartment building units. Implementation will start in July-August and the power plant extension will be ready for commissioning during 2022.
– The utilization of renewable, emission-free solar energy contributes to our main goal: Atria’s carbon-neutral food chain by 2035. Experiences with solar energy have been purely positive, and we are now launching a project to double the capacity of the current solar power park. The project will start as soon as we receive the necessary official permits, which in practice means July-August 2021. The project implementer, Nurmon Aurinko Oy, has received a 20 percent energy subsidy from Business Finland for the project. The total cost estimate of the project is approximately 2.7 million euros, says Eero Yliselä, Atria’s Technical Manager.
– Solar technology is evolving and with the new size panels we produce almost double the power per panel. The pilot project implemented for Atria in 2018 was the first industrial-scale solar park project in Finland. The project has contributed to the spread of solar electricity in Finland, says Jukka Muilu from Solarigo Systems Oy.
When the expansion is completed, Atria will cover about 8% of its annual consumption with solar electricity. The extension of the solar power plant is located in connection with Atria’s Nurmo plant to the east of the area. Plans have already been made for the project and they will be implemented as soon as possible.
The solar power plant connected to Atria’s Nurmo plant is the largest in Finland. The power plant, which was commissioned in 2018, comprises a total of approximately 22,000 solar panels in ground and roof installations, which, based on the actual implementation, correspond to an annual electricity production of approximately 5,000 MWh. After the commissioning of the extension, Atria’s annual solar energy production will exceed 9,000 MWh. The project will further reduce total emissions and improve the plant’s energy efficiency, while also increasing self-sufficiency.
Atria is a pioneer in the industrial deployment of solar electricity. Low-emission domestic food is part of the company’s environmental responsibility, which covers the entire food chain. Solar energy is a sustainable choice and supports the controlled use of natural resources, while at the same time investing in the operating conditions of the future.
Nurmon Aurinko Oy implements the investment and is responsible for the maintenance of the equipment. Atria Suomi Oy is implementing the project in cooperation with Solarigo Systems Oy.
