Lenzing continues to invest in renewable energy expansion

• Partnership with green power producer Enery and Energie Steiermark realises construction of a photovoltaic plant with 5.5 MW peak capacity
• Strategic investments in renewables boost energy independence and reduce carbon footprint

The Lenzing Group, world-leading provider of wood-based specialty fibres, has signed an electricity supply contract with green power producer Enery and Energie Steiermark to finance a photovoltaic plant in the Deutschlandsberg region (Styria). The electricity generated will supply the fibre and pulp plant at the Lenzing site after commissioning from the fourth quarter of 2023. The electricity supply contract is limited to 20 years.

The plant’s output will amount to 5.5 MWpeak. This corresponds to the average annual electricity demand of more than 1,700 households. Several photovoltaic systems are already being installed at the Lenzing site, including the largest ground-mounted plant in the province of Upper Austria, whose commissioning is imminent.

“In order to reduce our carbon emissions even further in line with our strategic targets, we aim in the future to rely to an even greater extent on electricity generated from renewable energies. Concepts such as these will make us less dependent on global energy markets in the medium to long term and further support our transition from a linear to a circular economy model,” comments Stephan Sielaff, Lenzing Group CEO.

In 2019, Lenzing became the first fiber manufacturer to set a target to reduce its carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and to be climate neutral by 2050. This carbon reduction target has been confirmed by the Science Based Targets Initiative. Lenzing is also currently investing in reducing carbon emissions at other sites worldwide. Only recently, the Lenzing Group announced that its Indonesian site will also be relying on green energy in the future.

“We are very pleased to have signed one of the first long-term electricity supply contracts with a leading Austrian industrial company for our first solar park in the province of Styria. In the context of our industry partnership, we are particularly pleased to make a contribution to ensuring that Austrian industry receives competitive and sustainable green power in order to remain internationally competitive within this turbulent market environment,” note Richard König, CEO of Enery, and Lukas Nemec, COO of Enery.

For Christian Purrer and Martin Graf, members of the Management Board of Energie Steiermark, the project is “the result of an efficient and trend-setting interaction between energy companies, regional policymakers and industry, with a clear win-win situation for all parties involved. It exemplifies how quickly green generation projects can be implemented when all stakeholders agree to act together and avoid excuses as to why something can’t be done.”

About the Lenzing Group
The Lenzing Group stands for ecologically responsible production of specialty fibres made from the renewable raw material wood. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and non-woven manufacturers and drives many new technological developments.
The Lenzing Group’s high-quality fibres form the basis for a variety of textile applications ranging from elegant clothing to versatile denims and high-performance sports clothing. Due to their consistent high quality, their biodegradability and compostability Lenzing fibres are also highly suitable for hygiene products and agricultural applications.
Together with its customers and partners, Lenzing develops innovative products along the value chain, creating added value for consumers. The Lenzing Group strives for the efficient utilisation and processing of all raw materials and offers solutions to help redirect the textile sector towards a closed-loop economy.
In order to reduce the speed of global warming and to accomplish the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and the “Green Deal” of the EU Commission, Lenzing has a clear vision: namely to make a zero-carbon future come true.

Source: press release