“Three years ago, we installed the first 450 kW solar power plant in our company, one of the most modern in Lithuania at the time. We designed part of the system so that the solar modules follow the movement of the sun both on the horizon and from east to west. As a result, the efficiency of the installed plant has been significantly higher – it generates 30% more electricity,” said Andrius Kurganovas, Managing Director of Biržų Duona, UAB.
The installed plant covers 30% of the company's total annual electricity consumption, and during the summer months, solar power alone is sufficient for operation of the company.
“We responded to the call and submitted our application on time. As a result, we received a significant investment of €180,000 for the installation of a solar farm. This decision was economically beneficial for our company, but equally important in terms of value. For five years, green energy has been a priority in our sustainability strategy, and all the electricity we use at work is green. Our expectation is to expand our solar fleet to 1 MW in the near future, and we also plan to use wind to generate green energy,” added Mr Kurganov.
Earlier this year, the Innovation Agency launched a €10 million call for manufacturing companies in central and western Lithuania to install solar power plants. The minimum amount per project is €20,000 and the maximum is €300,000. Selected companies must start their project within six months of the date of signing the contract and complete it within 24 months.
“Our solar plant took three years to install. At that time, there was a lack of contractors with experience in installing panels which not only track the movement of the sun on the horizon, but also change their position depending on the sun's altitude above the horizon. Much of the design and analysis work had to be done from scratch. All the work can be done much more quickly and smoothly now, and solar contractors in Lithuania have already gained a lot of experience, so 24 months is plenty of time to complete a project,” explained Mr Kurganov.
Businesses are invited submit their applications to the Innovation Agency until 28 February 2023. Detailed description of the terms and conditions of the measure are available on the website of the Innovation Agency.
“One of the requirements is a mandatory energy audit carried out at least two years ago. I do not see this as a barrier, but as a great opportunity for businesses to take stock of their energy consumption and calculate how much they can save by installing solar modules. The experience of businesses whicht have benefited from the investment in the past has shown that investing in green energy production has not only helped them achieve their sustainability goals, but has also given them energy independence.
in these times of upheaval,” said Agnė Vaitkūnienė, Director of the Investment Management Department of the Innovation Agency.
This progress-focused measure is part of the Economic Transformation and Competitiveness Development Programme 2022-2030 managed by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation. The project activities are financed by the EU investment funds.
