- As a result of these measures, Smeg will reduce consumption at its production sites in Guastalla (province of Reggio Emilia) and Bonferraro (province of Verona), and avoid releasing around 41,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere over the next 25 years
Rome, September 16th, 2021 - Energy efficiency is at the heart of the synergy between Enel X and Smeg, two companies that make innovation linked to sustainability a pillar of their respective strategies. With this in mind, the Enel Group’s global business line, which offers services to accelerate innovation and guide the energy transition, will be installing two photovoltaic plants of 1.9 MW at Smeg’s headquarters in Guastalla (province of Reggio Emilia) and 1.6 MW at the production site in Bonferraro (province of Verona), in addition to the existing plants. The plants will be equipped with cutting-edge, latest-generation technology which, thanks to the use of string inverters and power optimizers, will make it possible to monitor production performance down to the individual panel.
“With the interventions at Smeg group’s production sites, we are allowing our partner to accelerate along the path to achieving sustainability goals through smart management of consumption," said Augusto Raggi, Head of Enel X Italy. "The photovoltaic systems we have developed are fundamental for the reduction of CO2 emissions of the Customer's production activities and represent the best technologies on the market for the production of energy from renewable sources. In order to create value, it is necessary to adopt behaviors that respect the environment and to rely on reliable interlocutors who share the same principles, and Enel X in this sense plays a leading role thanks to its know-how in the energy efficiency sector.”
“Technological innovation and respect for the environment are the activities in which Smeg has been engaged for over 70 years. The attention we pay to environmental issues has led us to pursue a certain objective: to contribute to making our planet more eco-sustainable, in part by promoting the development of renewable energies with advanced projects that make us self-sufficient in terms of energy," declared Vittorio Bertazzoni, Smeg CEO. “This deep conviction has led us over time to manage our energy policies in an increasingly efficient manner, to the point of investing in two new photovoltaic systems with which we will ensure that 25% of the energy used in our factories in Guastalla (province of Reggio Emilia) and Bonferraro di Sorgà (province of Verona) will be self-produced and green. Every year we will produce 4 GWh of energy through the two dedicated plants in these production sites, reducing the emission into the atmosphere of 22,000 tonnes of CO2 at the Guastalla site and 19,000 tonnes at the Bonferraro di Sorgà site. By the end of 2022, through a certified supply process, we will be able to meet the residual energy needs of all our group plants by supplying certified green electricity generated 100% from renewable sources and methane gas with zero impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
All this is fully in line with the values that Smeg promotes: responsibility, sustainability, biodiversity and health, always with an eye on the future.”
Enel X, through the interventions, will contribute to reducing the overall consumption of the two sites by an average of about 25%, avoiding the emission into the atmosphere of 22,000 tonnes of CO2 at the Guastalla (RE) site and 19,000 tonnes at the Bonferraro (VR) site over the next 25 years. In addition to the construction of the systems, consisting of a total of 9,217 JA solar photovoltaic modules equipped with power optimizers, Enel X will also ensure their maintenance for 5 years. Moreover, with this agreement, the first steps have been taken for the evaluation of a new cogeneration plant at the Bonferraro (VR) site, a further step towards the creation of a distributed generation ecosystem. The creation of the photovoltaic system is part of a global project to move towards sustainability which has always involved Smeg, a company dedicated to the responsible production of appliances that combine aesthetics and technological innovation. This project takes the form of a set of environmental policies and targeted actions aimed at creating collective value in accordance with the evolution of the sector, such as participation in territorial reforestation programs, conscious use of raw materials and investments aimed at maximizing energy savings.
Enel X is the Enel Group’s global business line that offers services that accelerate innovation and drive the energy transition. A world leader in advanced energy solutions, Enel X manages services such as demand response for approximately 7.4 GW of total capacity globally and 137 MW of installed storage capacity, as well as 232,000 electric vehicle charging points made available worldwide1. Through its advanced solutions, including energy management, financial services and electric mobility, Enel X provides each partner with an intuitive and customised ecosystem of technology platforms and consulting services, focused on the principles of sustainability and circular economy in order to provide people, communities, institutions and companies with an alternative model that respects the environment and integrates technological innovation into daily life. Each solution has the power to transform decarbonisation, electrification and digitalisation goals into sustainable actions for all, in order to build a more sustainable and efficient world together.
1 Public and private charging points. Includes interoperability points.
SMEG
Founded in 1948, SMEG, whose name stands for “Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla”, is a proudly Italian company now in the third generation of the Bertazzoni family. Renowned for responsibly producing creations that combine technology and style, SMEG manufactures high-performance appliances, produced using advanced technologies for use in the home and in the professional and medical sectors. For more information, visit https://www.smeg.it/ and SMEG social profiles on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram (@smegitalia).