Balta Expanding Solar Power Production

Sint-Baafs-Vijve, Belgium, June 30, 2010--At the beginning of this year, one of the largest solar radiation systems installed on the roof of business premises in the Benelux came into operation at the Balta site in Sint-Baafs-Vijve.

Work has just begun in Waregem on a factory roof installation extending over 76,000 square meters at Balta Weaving, Balta’s largest carpet manufacturing site.

The new project comprises 15,360 additional solar panels. And on Monday, July 26, the installation of 16,000 panels extending over 80,000 square meters will begin on the roof at ITC, which specialises in nylon fitted carpet, in Tielt.

When these second and third phases are completed, the Balta Group, which manufactures wall-to-wall carpet, rugs and laminate flooring, will have a solar capacity with a total of 49,000 solar panels covering 271,000 square meters of roof area.

The total roof area at all Balta sites in Belgium alone already covers 610,000 square meters.

The additional installation in Waregem will generate 3 million KWh of electricity a year (equivalent to the consumption of 1,000 families) with an installed capacity of 3.5 MWp (megawatt peak). 

Balta will use this green power entirely for its own operating activities. Any surplus will be fed back into the public grid.

Enfinity will be leasing the roof space at Balta and installing solar panels for 20 years via a construction right arrangement. In addition to the money it earns from the lease, Balta will benefit from cheaper and more stable power charges.