Kaisersesch, April 15, 2023. Covering an area of 35,000 m², the CLASSEN Group’s new photovoltaic system generates solar power for the Kaisersesch production site. The photovoltaic system generates enough electricity annually to power approximately 1,300 two-person households for an entire year or to supply a soccer stadium with energy for about 200 games. This is made possible by nearly 7,000 modules, which generate approximately 4,234,000 kWh of electricity within a year. The modern PV system is located in a field in the immediate vicinity of the plant in Kaisersesch and is seamlessly integrated into production. It supplies the most energy-intensive areas—the granulate plant and panel production—with solar power. In doing so, CLASSEN is expanding its use of renewable energy at the site. The family-owned company is increasingly relying on renewable energy in the manufacture of flooring products such as CERAMIN®.

To date, the solar power system has achieved an energy self-sufficiency rate of 11 percent—not counting the facility’s own biomass power plant and the additional solar panels currently in the planning stages. This means that more than one-tenth of the facility’s electricity consumption can already be covered by its own PV system. Only nighttime electricity generation is not possible with solar energy, which affects the self-sufficiency rate. To use solar power as efficiently as possible during the day, the machines operate on a staggered schedule throughout the week. This allows solar power to be generated and consumed immediately. On summer days, the entire operation in Kaisersesch is even powered solely by the solar system. The investment of approximately three million euros in the PV system and the plant’s energy supply is thus yielding tangible benefits for CLASSEN. The flooring manufacturer expects the investment to pay for itself within 4.5 years. CLASSEN is further expanding its use of renewable energy at the site and is already working on a second solar park at the same location. The company forecasts that, combined, the two PV systems will be able to cover about a quarter of the facility’s electricity needs using solar energy alone.

Implementing the solar power system proved to be a recurring challenge. It took nearly two years from planning to commissioning—a lengthy period that would not have been possible had CLASSEN not been willing to take risks. The project began in July 2021. The building permit application was submitted in December. It took another half a year for approval to be granted. With delivery times of up to two years, the uncertainty of waiting for the permit threatened to further delay the project’s implementation. That was not an option for the family-owned company. “If you really want to make a difference, you have to act instead of waiting,” says Stefanie Quervel, CFO of the CLASSEN Group. CLASSEN decided to procure the solar modules and transformer stations at its own risk—before receiving the building permit. The move paid off, and the PV system went online in April. The flooring manufacturer is confident in the project’s success and is already working on a second solar park with roughly twice as many modules (13,824). The additional PV system is expected to produce 5,684,000 kWh of electricity and increase the share of solar energy in the company’s electricity needs to around 25 percent.

With the Cradle to Cradle Material Health certification, the CLASSEN Group is sending a strong signal in support of sustainable innovation in the flooring industry. “This certification is another milestone for our company and demonstrates that sustainable business practices and high-quality product solutions can go hand in hand,” explains Sebastian Wendel, who is responsible for strategic business development at the CLASSEN Group.