Solarimo and Grünenthal sign agreement for the construction of a photovoltaic plant with more than 4,000 solar modules

Berlin/Aachen, Jan. 31, 2023 - The pharmaceutical company Grünenthal GmbH, based in Aachen, Germany, is taking an important step toward its goal of net-zero emissions by 2030 with a ground-mounted photovoltaic plant. The photovoltaic service provider Solarimo GmbH, a subsidiary of ENGIE Deutschland, will finance, build and operate the plant and supply the electricity to the factory. For Solarimo, it is the largest project of its kind and the first power supply contract as a so-called onsite PPA (Power Purchase Agreement), where there is a direct physical delivery of electricity from a plant on the customer's site. Approximately 18,000 m²  covers the area for the solar park on the Grünenthal company premises in Aachen, where Solarimo will operate the plant with 4,080 modules and a nominal output of 1.9 MWp. The plant will thus be the largest ground-mounted photovoltaic facility in the Aachen urban area and one of the largest in the Aachen city region after its planned completion at the end of 2023. Grünenthal has committed to purchasing the electricity over the next 20 years and will use it to supply power to the Aachen headquarters.

Grünenthal does not incur any costs for the solar plant. Solarimo also takes care of the maintenance of the systems. The pharmaceutical company pays a fixed price for the electricity, which is lower than that charged by the energy supplier from the grid. At the same time, the company benefits from the fact that neither grid fees nor electricity tax are incurred for solar power from its own plant premises. This reduces the electricity costs for part of the energy requirement.

"We want to significantly reduce our CO₂ footprint by 2030. We even want to completely reduce emissions directly caused by our company to zero," says Charlotte Ratcliffe, Head of Global Sustainability at Grünenthal. "With the solar plant, we will save around 366 tons of CO₂ per year."

Anja Burde, Managing Director of Solarimo GmbH, says: "We are pleased to supply Grünenthal with solar power directly from our own factory premises in the future. With this onsite PPA, we are making an important contribution to Grünenthal's Net Zero strategy - in line with our mission to accelerate the transition to climate neutrality."

About Solarimo
Solarimo is a service provider for the planning, construction, operation and marketing of photovoltaic systems for housing associations, public clients, commercial and industrial customers. The range of services offered by the subsidiary of ENGIE Deutschland GmbH, founded in 2018, includes rooftop, facade, ground-mounted and carport PV systems with different models for marketing.

About Grünenthal
Grünenthal is a global leader in the treatment of pain and related disorders. As a research-based pharmaceutical company, we have many years of experience in innovative pain therapy and the development of state-of-the-art technologies for patients worldwide. Through innovation, we aim to improve patients' lives. We are committed to our vision of a world without pain. Grünenthal has its corporate headquarters in Aachen, Germany, and is represented by companies in 28 countries in Europe, Latin America and the United States. Our products are available in more than 100 countries. In 2021, Grünenthal employed around 4,500 people and generated sales of 1.5 billion euros.

For further information, please visit www.grunenthal.com and Grünenthal Report 2021/22

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Press contacts

Anja Burde
Managing Director
SOLARIMO GmbH
Ella-Barowsky-Straße 44
10829 Berlin

T: +49 201 240588-0
E-Mail: anja.burde@engie.com

Dr. Stephan Frings
Global Communication
Grünenthal GmbH
52099 Aachen

Tel.: +49 241 569-3383
E-Mail: Stephan.Frings@grunenthal.com