HÄRTHA GROUP and EnBW conclude PPA over 15 years

10 MW of solar energy from the Maßbach solar park will be used by HÄRTHA Group over 15 years to harden steel.

Aldenhoven/Karlsruhe. Whether in the automotive industry, wind energy business, aerospace sector or in everyday use, components made of hardened steel are needed in many areas.

As a leading service provider in the field of hardening and surface technology, the HÄRTHA GROUP improves the load capacity, wear properties and other characteristics of various components. The finishing processes used here are generally very energy-intensive.

Since 1 October 2022, the HÄRTHA GROUP GmbH, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, has been purchasing part of the energy required for this purpose from EnBW’s Maßbach solar park. To this end, HÄRTHA and EnBW have signed a 15-year corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) for the supply of 10 megawatts of solar energy.

PPAs are an instrument of the energy transition, guaranteeing price stability even in uncertain times

EnBW commissioned the 28-megawatt solar park in Bavaria one year ago. The company realized around two thirds of this – 18.3 megawatts – without funding under the Renewable Energies Act (EEG). The HÄRTHA GROUP GmbH secured part of this solar energy, which is freely available on the market. “PPAs are especially attractive to companies with energy-intensive production processes. They help them to achieve corporate climate goals quickly and efficiently. We are delighted to support the processing of steel at HÄRTHA with our solar energy and thus make a further contribution to the energy transition,” explains Daniel Hacki, Head of Origination at EnBW.

“Our hardening and surface technology services help various players across society to achieve their sustainability goals. For example, we enable our customers to make automotive components more resilient and at the same time lighter. We are proud to play a key role in the field of e-mobility. In the same spirit, it is clear that we also want to be as sustainable as possible when it comes to our own energy consumption. In combination with our own photovoltaic systems at our production sites, this joint project with EnBW supplies an additional and comprehensive source of sustainable energy, which helps us to significantly reduce our carbon footprint,” explains Sven Killmer, CEO of the HÄRTHA GROUP.

About Härtha

The HÄRTHA GROUP is a successful group of companies founded in 1990. Based in Aldenhoven, the company is one of Europe’s leading providers of metal finishing services using heat treatment processes and coating solutions. HÄRTHA employs around 400 people across 10 sites in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. HÄRTHA is committed to production processes that are easy on resources and uses the most efficient and state-of-the-art plant technology.

About EnBW

With over 26,000 employees, EnBW is one of the largest energy companies in Germany and Europe. It supplies around 5.5 million customers with electricity, gas, water as well as services and products in the areas of infrastructure and energy. The expansion of renewable energies is a cornerstone of the growth strategy and a focus of investment. EnBW will invest around 4 billion euros in the further expansion of wind and solar energy by 2025. By the end of 2025, more than half of the generation portfolio is set to consist of renewable energies. This is already having a noticeable effect on reducing CO₂ emissions, which EnBW aims to halve by 2030. EnBW is aiming for climate neutrality by 2035.