The first photovoltaic farm in an industrial park in Bydgoszcz

Accolade Group is completing the installation of the first photovoltaic farm in an industrial park in Bydgoszcz. This is a significant step in the implementation of the group's long-term strategy regarding energy security in industrial parks in Europe.

Accolade Group, which invests in industrial real estate, is responding to rising energy prices with a strategy of increasing the use of renewable resources. The investor is installing photovoltaic farms on the roofs of most of its warehouse facilities. The current energy situation has prompted the company to accelerate the process of implementing a long-term energy plan, which is part of the group's ESG strategy. Accolade has installed its first photovoltaic power plant in an industrial park in Bydgoszcz, and in the future, it plans to develop more roofs in industrial parks across Europe.

The first Accolade solar power plant is located in an industrial park in Bydgoszcz, where 810 panels have been installed - some on the roofs of warehouses, some on surrounding plots. The panels cover a total area of 1500 square meters, which is the size of a hockey rink. Their full capacity is 300 kWh, which means an annual production of 300 MWh. If everything goes according to plan, all the energy produced will be used by the park's tenants. Any surplus can be fed into the grid or used to power car chargers, enabling low-emission commuting for employees.

- The construction of a photovoltaic power plant in Poland is supported by a recently adopted law that mandates an increase in renewable energy production; this trend is already clearly visible on the market. - The Bydgoszcz power plant is the first renewable energy project for Accolade. In our Polish portfolio, we are also planning such installations in parks in Bydgoszcz-Lisi Ogon, Zielona Góra II, and Piła. Solar power plants will be designed to provide maximum power, while taking into account the specific conditions of individual locations. Our goal is to install photovoltaic panels in all our parks in Poland by the end of 2024. We want to do the same in all countries where we operate - comments Jan Pavlík, Head of Energy at Accolade.

- Photovoltaics is our first step in the process of using green energy. We also have plans for electric car charging stations, the installation of more heat pumps, and hydrogen production. Our ambition is the energy efficiency of the parks, so that in the future we can become as self-sufficient as possible, or even generate more energy than we consume. We are deeply convinced that in light of climate change and the current energy situation, a sustainable path is the only right one, not only for our tenants but for all of us - says Lukáš Répal, Chief Operating Officer at Accolade.

Installing photovoltaic farms on the roofs of all Accolade warehouses will allow tenants to cover up to 30% of their total electricity consumption. In addition to a low environmental impact and a reduction in carbon emissions, in times of rapidly rising energy and raw material prices, modern premium-class industrial parks should also provide full comfort to their tenants, which includes the ability to conduct business at significantly lower and more predictable operating costs. - adds Pavlík.

Accolade plans to repeat this investment in the Czech Republic and implement renewable energy solutions in other countries where it operates, i.e., in Slovakia, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.