Merford opts for sustainable energy with 1700 solar panels

After Merford had already taken various measures to save energy, one important step remained: self-generation of sustainable energy. The roof of Merford's 10.000 m2 production hall was therefore fitted with 1700 solar panels this summer. This makes Merford largely self-sufficient in its energy needs.

Sustainability is an important part of Merford's business operations. Director of Corporate Development, Joost Vertooren, is as a driver and implementer of this policy closely involved in the implementation of sustainability projects such as the construction of the solar power plant on the roof of the production hall.

‘In recent years we have been working on saving energy, for example by installing LED lighting in the production hall and the office building. The next step was to generate our own energy,' says Vertooren. Thanks to a smart approach and subsidy from the government, investing in solar cells proved to be a wise choice. We think we can recoup the investment in five or six years and after that the installation will provide free electricity for many years to come', he continues. 

In June, Reco Solar started installing the 1700 solar panels. Some of the panels could be put into use within a short period of time and, with the sunny weather, immediately yielded a good return on investment. After the holidays, work resumed and the installation was recently taken fully into use. In total it produces about 475,000 KWh of electricity per year, comparable to the consumption of 150 households.