Jun 1, 2023 8:00 AM
Solar plants with CO2-reduced steel for sustainable power generation
Steel services from thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe save over 60% CO2 for the assembly systems of the solar parks
Energy amortization time of the photovoltaic systems is shortened
Sustainable electricity generation from solar energy makes an important contribution to the success of the energy transition. Required photovoltaic systems do not emit any harmful exhaust gases or greenhouse gases during operation, but their production already causes CO2 emissions. In order to keep these emissions as low as possible for the production of solar mounting systems for a photovoltaic plant, thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe will supply the PV mounting system supplier König from Moringen with CO2-reduced steel from May 2023.
For an efficient solar energy expansion, a fast amortization time of the energy used for the production is important. To achieve this, the company from Lower Saxony relies on the expertise of thyssenkrupp: thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe supplies customized, CO2-reduced slit strip and also offers precise documentation of the CO2 footprint from production to delivery. The steel is the bluemint® recycled grade from thyssenkrupp Steel Europe. By using this steel, which is produced at the Duisburg location, around 64% CO2 intensity can already be saved for the solar profile. König will also use the CO2-reduced steel to offer solutions for sustainable planning and construction in drywall construction.
Shorter energy amortization time of solar systems
Managing Director Meiko Fiedler comments on this step: "We are pleased to be able to offer our customers an environmentally friendly solution for the production of special profiles with immediate effect by using CO₂-reduced steel. State-of-the-art profiling equipment in our plants additionally enables precise and efficient production that meets the highest quality standards. The result is stable, durable and reliable solar mounting systems that allow our customers to take a sustainable approach and reduce their environmental footprint."
Marcus Wöhl, CEO of thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe added: "Alternative energy sources are hugely important to the success of the energy transition and with the advances in PV technology, it is realistic to expect that solar installations will play an important role in meeting energy needs in the coming years. We are pleased that through the cooperation with König, we were able to significantly reduce the CO₂ emissions of the assembly systems for solar parks in this project."
Certified Product Carbon Footprint calculation
The Product Carbon Footprint Calculator by thyssenkrupp Materials Services calculates the exact CO₂ emissions for each product supplied, from production to delivery. For each item, it is thus possible to transparently show all the steps from production, delivery, storage and processing to delivery to the customer in terms of greenhouse gas impact.
The sophisticated calculation logic of the PCF calculator has been certified by the international classification society DNV and also provides König's team with exact values for the overall PCF calculation of the PV systems. "With this transparency across our entire supply chain, we can now work with our partners to make our value creation processes as sustainable as possible," explains Marcus Wöhl.
bluemint® recycled starting material from thyssenkrupp Steel Europe
The bluemint® recycled starting material from thyssenkrupp Steel Europe is of particular importance for this project: the product can show a 64% reduction in CO2 emissions thanks to modified input materials. A high-quality scrap recycling product is used in the blast furnace and the steel is characterized by a high recycled content. Sustainable products and solutions such as the PCF calculator are part of thyssenkrupp Materials Services' BEYOND sustainability strategy, which is based on internationally recognized ESG criteria but goes beyond legal requirements and standards – hence BEYOND.
König GmbH & Co. KG is a medium-sized company that manufactures dry construction profiles and complex stamped parts for the German and international building materials wholesale trade in its own plants at its headquarters in Moringen between Göttingen and Hanover. In addition, the company has focused on the production of high-quality special profiles, among other things by developing its own assembly systems for solar parks.
As a leading steel and aluminum service center, thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe serves processors from the automotive, electrical, construction and solar industries at eleven locations in six countries. With its many years of expertise in procurement, consulting and prefabrication, the processing specialist provides its diverse customer base with customized services and digital solutions for flat steel and non-ferrous metals throughout Europe.