VVA invests in a new warehouse and new photovoltaics
Arvato's second-largest warehouse in the world is being built in Gütersloh.
The new photovoltaic system on the roofs of the warehouse could supply 1,000 three-person households.
The enormous dimensions can already be seen in the towering concrete pillars: On the main site next to the A 2 in Gütersloh, VVA is building a new warehouse for more than ten million euros. With a length of 140 metres, a width of 63 metres and a height of 21 metres, it offers space for 32,000 pallets. This corresponds to a capacity of around 1,000 truck trains. Lined up, the pallets would form a chain more than 38 kilometers long. With this capacity, the new hall behind the neighboring high-bay warehouse with its approximately 60,000 storage spaces is Arvato's second-largest warehouse – worldwide.
The new roof area, as well as six other existing hall roofs, will be used for the construction of photovoltaic modules. On a total area of 46,000 m² – equivalent to seven football pitches – around 3.5 million kW/h of electricity will be generated annually in the future and 100 percent of it will be consumed on site. The plant, which costs a total of three million euros, covers the annual needs of 1,000 three-person households. This is an important step for the company to achieve its parent company's sustainability targets: Bertelsmann has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030. VVA's investment in PV technology is part of similar projects by Arvato Supply Chain Solutions (the official name of Arvato's logistics division).
"Despite the sharp rise in construction costs, our investment is advantageous in every way," says VVA Managing Director Stephan Schierke, explaining the double whammy. "The price of external storage pallets from subcontractors has become extremely expensive and is no longer economically viable. At the same time, our growth is leading to a higher demand for storage space." The situation is similar with regard to the economic efficiency of the PV system. The VVA boss points out that the high electricity prices, which will continue to rise in the future, increase the profitability of photovoltaics for self-consumption. At the same time, VVA's CO2 footprint is significantly improved – thanks to the self-generated electricity from renewable energies and significantly fewer truck journeys to external warehouses.
"It is consoling that, despite the permanently higher costs for storage and electricity compared to the past, at least the environment is a clear winner," Stephan Schierke sums up.