Solar produces 750MWh for Rotterdam coldstore

NETHERLANDS: A 14,000 pallet capacity coldstore in the port of Rotterdam has been upgraded with a solar panels capable of producing 750,000kWh of electricity a year.

In total, some 3,100 solar panels have been fitted on the roof of the FrigoCare facility, covering an area of 7,500m². The solar panel installation, which cost around €1m, was completed towards the end of July.

The initiative was undertaken in partnership with Dutch renewable energy company Zon Exploitatie Nederland (ZEN), working in close cooperation with the Port of Rotterdam Authority.

The solar panel installation is owned by ZEN, while FrigoCare benefits from access to a cheaper, and “greener” energy supply. FrigoCare invested around €650,000 in renewing the coldstore roof before the installation of the solar panels.

The solar panels will meet around 30% of the coldstore’s annual energy use of 2.7GWh.

“When we upgraded our cold-store, which is primarily used to store frozen fish, we wanted to make it as environmentally friendly as possible,” explained FrigoCare managing director Jan Bouman. “The partnership with ZEN has enabled us to reduce our annual carbon emissions by around 325 tonnes a year.”

It is expected that the investment will be recovered within a 10-year pay-back period.