March 28, 2024

DynasetCompanies are considering investing in green power sources more and more nowadays, and green energy has become a hot topic in the United States. It’s no surprise why, as these investments in in more environmentally friendly energy sources can also save money in the long run. 

For one AEM member company, Dynaset Oy, a recent investment in green technology has paid off in a big way. A leading manufacturer of hydraulic generators, power washers and compressors, Dynaset installed nearly 6,740 square feet of solar panels to comprise a working power plant on the roof of its facility based in Ylöjärvi, Finland.

“Solar power plants are quite popular here in Finland, as the country is seeking an alternative and green way to produce power,” said Anni Karppinen, Dynaset’s executive vice president and sales manager. “I’m sure that this applies to most countries around the globe as well, but here at Dynaset, we have been evaluating alternative power options for some time already in an effort to become a more environmentally friendly business, all while reducing our energy costs along the way.”

Reducing its Carbon Footprint

With high energy consumption and the rising price of power, Dynaset knew that alternative energy sources could be a part of a solution for their company. Solar panels would allow the company to reduce energy costs while also reducing the need to raise their product prices.

“Our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint overall in the future,” said Karppinen. “Alternative energy sources are a part of this, but of course lowering our carbon footprint needs to be done in a cost-effective way.”

Recently, the Finnish government offered to support companies looking to adopt greener business practices, and through this program, Dynaset was able to slightly lower the payback time on its investment in the solar panels.

“While the investment money was helpful, it was not the sole reason that we installed the solar panels,” said Timo Nieminen, the company’s technical director. “The investment made by Business Finland helped, for the most part, to offset the overall payback time on this project. Ultimately, the whole payback time is around eight or nine years at current electricity prices.”

Furthermore, the solar plant didn’t take much time to install. Dynaset undertook the investment near the end of 2020. After planning and offer rounds, things moved very quickly, and installation was conducted by Solargio Oy in June of 2021.

“We would definitely encourage other companies to seek suitable solutions for their operations, and we hope our successes in building a solar plant serve as an example of a great cost-effective way to make the world a greener place.” — Anni Karppinen, executive vice president and sales manager at Dynaset

Assessing the Results

The panels installed by Dynaset are graded as tier 1 solar panels, indicating their supplier is a reliable company with a good reputation. In addition, the tier 1 designation means the panels are more efficient and will remain so for a longer time.

According to Karppinen, the nearly 6,740 square feet of solar panels that were installed can produce up to 110 MWh of green electricity annually.

“The calculations that we have made predict that we will be able to satisfy over half of our energy needs during the summer months,” she explained. “During the fall and winter periods we are not able to produce as much energy due to Finland’s location.”

Throughout 2022, Dynaset will measure the capacity of its solar plant and verify its calculations. This will allow them to measure the real time benefits of their solar plant and plan future investments and expansions accordingly. Ultimately, however, the fact that company officials predict the ability to satisfy 50{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add} of its energy costs in the future indicates their confidence in just how much solar panels and green solutions can make a positive impact over time.

Moving Forward

In the future, Dynaset is looking forward to lessening its carbon footprint even further. The company hopes to be able to expand its solar panel project once the current project has been evaluated, and officials hope current and future successes will inspire others look to make their own changes in an effort to reduce their own carbon footprint.

“We would definitely encourage other companies to seek suitable solutions for their operations, and we hope our successes in building a solar plant serve as an example of a great cost-effective way to make the world a greener place,” added Karppinen.

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