December 16, 2023 [Koole Terminals]- Alkion Terminal Bayonne, part of Koole Terminals Group, is proud to announce that 600 m2 of solar panels have now become operational at the terminal, producing green energy that will be powering the terminal from now on.

Terminal Manager Fabien Lusson is very happy with this new development: “We estimate that these new solar panels will produce 8% of our yearly electricity consumption. The panels are connected to our entire on-site power grid, which means they will be powering anything from pumps and lights to the electrical car chargers we installed at the terminal last year.”

The solar panels are located in two different areas of the terminal: “We’ve got 120 m2 on top of the office building, and another 480 m2 on top of the parking lot. For the panels on top of the parking lot, we built a dedicated mechanical structure, sort of like a roof. It was quite an investment in terms of time and financially, but it was absolutely worth it, both from a sustainability perspective and as a way to reduce our energy costs.”

Exchanging experiences

Of course, generating your own energy has a financial advantage, but that isn’t the only benefit Lusson sees from this investment: “This project also allows us to take on a leadership role in our local industrial community on the topic of energy transition. I’m getting a lot of questions from industry players in Bayonne who are also interested in investing in a more sustainable energy system. It’s great to be able to inspire businesses around us to make positive changes.”

The solar panel project also allowed Lusson to connect with his colleagues in Italy, who have experience in this area: “At the beginning of the project, I contacted Alessandro Sisti, Terminal Manager in Vado Ligure, because in 2018 they were the first Alkion terminal to install solar panels. It was very interesting and valuable to compare experiences and share data and insights.”

Proud to make a change

Responses within the terminal have also been very positive: “During construction, our colleagues had to park in a different location, but we’ve had no comments about that, because people are proud to see their company making these changes. Because they know how important it is for us, not just as a company but for our children in the future.”

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