Sustainable energy

Poultry professional relies on solar power and waste heat

The PV system in St. Andrä covers around 20 percent of the company's own electricity consumption.(Bild: WECH/Anja Koppitsch)

Solar energy is increasingly being used by many Carinthian companies. Poultry specialist WECH has now also installed a large photovoltaic system at its site in St. Andrä.

Four million euros - that's how much the Lavant Valley poultry producer WECH plans to invest in sustainable systems this year. "Conserving resources and sustainability have always been part of WECH's philosophy," explains Managing Director Karl Feichtinger. "Now we have shifted the focus to energy production and energy consumption."

The PV system in St. Andrä has an output of 1200 kilowatt peak, which cost around 1.3 million euros and can cover almost 20 percent of the company's own electricity consumption. This corresponds to the electricity consumption of 260 four-person households. "There are already plans for our other locations," Feichtinger continues.

When it comes to energy consumption, we rely on heat pumps that use our refrigeration process.

Karl Feichtinger, Geschäftsführer WECH 

Bild: Wech

Energy from the refrigeration process
WECH is investing a total of 2.7 million euros in industrial heat pumps both in St. Andrä and at the Glanegg site. The pumps make it possible to save 455,000 cubic meters of natural gas per year - a reduction of around 65 percent. "We recover the energy from the refrigeration process," explains Feichtinger. "We use the waste heat from the ammonia cooling system to heat water." 

The site in Glanegg is then to be equipped with its own PV system in 2025/2026. The contracts for the sustainability measures were deliberately awarded to Carinthian companies. "In this way, we are also actively supporting regional economic development," emphasizes the Managing Director.