Verbund Installs 15-MW Solar at Holcim Austria

• Verbund powers Holcim’s Mannersdorf cement plant with a 15.44-MWp solar park, slashing grid dependence and emissions as Austria accelerates industrial decarbonization and on-site energy resilience.

Austria’s Verbund has built a 15.44-MWp solar park at Holcim’s cement plant in Mannersdorf, on the Leithagebirge, to supply on-site renewable power and cut emissions. The utility-scale array underscores Holcim’s push to decarbonize energy-intensive cement production and aligns with Austria’s broader renewables targets.

The installation is designed to reduce grid reliance and exposure to volatile electricity prices while advancing Holcim’s sustainability commitments. The project adds to Verbund’s expanding portfolio of industrial solar partnerships, reflecting rising demand for clean power in heavy industry. Terms of the investment and expected annual output were not disclosed.

What production, emissions, and grid impacts will Mannersdorf’s 15.44-MWp solar park deliver?

• Expected annual generation: ~16–18 GWh (≈1,050–1,200 kWh/kWp/year; capacity factor ~12–13%)
  
• Daytime peak output: up to ~15 MW, shaving a large share of the plant’s midday grid demand
  
• Self-consumption: >90% likely, given the cement plant’s continuous, high baseload; limited exports (≈0–10% of annual output, mainly weekends/holidays)
  
• Annual CO2e avoided (displacing Austrian grid electricity): ~3–5 kt/yr (assuming ~180–280 g CO2e/kWh); ~75–120 kt over 25 years
  
• Scope 2 impact for the plant: material reduction in electricity-related emissions intensity per tonne of cement during solar hours
  
• Grid effects on the local network: reduced daytime loading of feeders/substation by up to ~15 MW; lower line losses; minimal congestion risk due to on-site use
  
• Potential ancillary capabilities: inverters can provide reactive power/volt-VAR support and fast ramping for smoother grid operation
  
• Price and reliability impact: decreases exposure to daytime spot-price volatility and reduces reliance on grid supply during peak hours