Saving energy with solar panels at our Vado Ligure terminal
There is no shortage of sun in Italy. So why not harness it to help power Alkion Terminal Vado Ligure? That was the thinking behind a solar power initiative that cut Vado Ligure’s energy costs by 37.5% in 2019.
The move towards solar followed a 2016 report on energy consumption at the site which identified opportunities to implement sustainable energy solutions. The team at Vado
Ligure heard the message loud and clear and decided to embrace the possibilities of innovative and sustainable energy sources.
The first small steps included a switch to LED lighting and the installation of inverters on the handling pumps. However, the team wanted to do all it could for the environment and was determined to run the entire operation on mostly self-produced, green electricity.
Regulatory approval
Photovoltaic systems are subject to strict regulations, but the project was quickly approved and well received by the Italian authorities. In fact, it is the first photovoltaic solar system to be installed at a Seveso-regulated plant in Italy. This reflects Alkion’s
commitment to safety and sustainability and must be seen in the context of a notorious industrial accident that occurred in the Italian city of Seveso in 1976. Following an explosion at a chemical plant, a dioxin cloud spread across the area. This led to the European Seveso Directive for activities relating to the handling, manufacturing, using or storing of potentially dangerous substances.
Listening power
Vado Ligure is a great example of the way that everyone at Alkion listens to the evidence and the lessons of history. And the photovoltaic solar system is just the start. The site has also invested in the installation of an E-Power system, a passive inductive filter
with hybrid functions. This device injects electromagnetic vectors in opposition of phase, which then corrects the power curve to reduce losses. The E-Power system is connected in such a way that it can also correct the power curve generated by the solar system to
further maximise energy savings.
