Solar power plants can already be found on the roofs of 30 Tokmanni stores – Records were broken in solar power production

Tokmanni     Press release    26 June 2020 at 10:45 a.m. (18 June 2020 in Finnish)

A solar power plant with 360 solar panels was installed on the roof of the Tokmanni store in Virrat at the end of May and beginning of June. The plant that produces approximately 100 MWh of solar power per year was commissioned on Wednesday 10 June 2020. Image: Solarigo

In May, more than 40 per cent of the electricity used at the Tokmanni locations with a solar power plant was produced by the solar power plant. This year, new solar power plants have already been installed on the roofs of five Tokmanni stores. Tokmanni currently has 30 solar power plants with a total of about 17,100 solar panels. Due to its positive experiences Tokmanni is eager to install new solar power plants.

In May, the most solar power was produced by the solar power plant comprising 3,000 solar panels at the general discount retailer's Administration and Logistics Centre in Mäntsälä, Finland. Its total output was as high as 128.8 MWh, which corresponds to about one third of the electricity used by the building.

In May, in relative terms, the most self-produced solar electricity was produced by the Tokmanni in Uusikaupunki, which produced as much as 64 per cent of the total amount of electricity used by the store.

Tokmanni’s experiences with self-produced solar energy have been very positive.

“We are very pleased with Tokmanni's solar energy programme. The production profile of solar power plants is, for example, a perfect match for Tokmanni's electricity consumption profile, as stores consume the most electricity during the day. Solar power plants with modern technology are also able to produce electricity well in Finnish conditions, in practice from April to September,” says Harri Koponen, Store Network and Concept Director at Tokmanni.

By the end of May, the solar power plants on Tokmanni’s roofs had produced 3.4 GWh¹) of renewable energy. This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of around 1,700 small apartments or approximately 17 million kilometres driven by an electric car²).

“At Tokmanni, a solar power plant produces an average of about 15–20 per cent of the total annual electricity consumption of a store and, on average, half of the electricity consumption in the summertime, i.e. May-August. The most electricity is consumed by lighting, ventilation and cooling,” Koponen says.

Tokmanni’s own solar power output is estimated to account for about 6.9 per cent of the company’s total electricity consumption this year³). Last year, the corresponding figure was around 2.4 per cent⁴).

“By investing in solar power, we are promoting the production of renewable energy, reducing CO₂ emissions and mitigating climate change in accordance with Tokmanni's principles of sustainability.”



Solar panels can already be found on the roofs of 30 Tokmanni stores, adding up to about 17,100 panels in total. There are typically a few hundred solar panels producing solar energy on the roof of one Tokmanni store. For example, there are 440 solar panels in Tokmanni's newest solar power plant in Seinäjoki. Picture from the Tokmanni store in Virrat. Image: Solarigo

More solar panels to be installed on roofs

Last year, Tokmanni announced that it was going to have solar panels installed on the roofs of 30 of its stores by the end of 2021. The target has already been reached, as the 30th solar power plant was commissioned at Tokmanni in Seinäjoki on Thursday 18 June 2020. Earlier in spring and early summer, solar power plants were installed at Tokmanni stores in Raahe, Laitila, Lapua and Virrat.

“Encouraged by the rapid pace of installation and the good results, Tokmanni has decided to install more solar power plants than previously announced. Tokmanni is working together with Finnish company Solarigo Oy,” Koponen says.

“We plan to commission approximately 15 new solar power plants in addition to the 30 that have already been installed. We aim to have a solar power plant installed on the roofs of all our new stores, provided the structures allow this. Once this has been done, solar energy will be produced at about 45 Tokmanni stores,” he says.

By investing in solar power Tokmanni is promoting the production of renewable energy, reducing CO₂ emissions and mitigating climate change in accordance with its principles of sustainability. By the end of May, Tokmanni had reduced its CO₂ emissions by approximately 482,000 kgCO₂⁵) with the help of solar power. Image: Solarigo

Tokmanni uses only renewable electricity and focuses on curbing energy consumption and emissions

In addition to increasing renewable energy production, Tokmanni is investing in curbing energy consumption, especially in the properties with energy solutions that it can directly influence. Last year, for example, Tokmanni switched to renewable electricity in its stores and continued to modernise store lighting using LED technology. Tokmanni's Administration and Logistics Centre has previously used only renewable electricity.

The measures have been effective, as though Tokmanni has considerably expanded its store network, its comparable electricity consumption decreased by 5 per cent and total electricity consumption by 2 per cent compared to the previous year. In the same period, the emissions of Tokmanni's properties shrank by as much as 46.3 per cent compared to the previous year.

With solar power, was able to Tokmanni reduce CO₂ emissions between September 2016 and May 2020 by about 482,000 kgCO₂⁵). When all the power plants, i.e. the 30 that are already installed on roofs and the 15 that are planned, are in use, they will reduce emissions by about 796,000 kgCO₂ a year⁶).

“The results show that we have also made smart choices in energy matters. These are the choices we also want to make in the future. The science-based climate targets that are currently being set will guide us in this work,” says Emilia Koski, Tokmanni's Head of Corporate Responsibility.


Read more about Tokmanni's sustainability work in the sustainability section of the website and the Sustainability Report 2019 at ir.tokmanni.fi/en/sustainability.


Information on Tokmanni's current solar power plants in brief (18 June 2020):

Total number of solar power plants: 30
Total number of solar panels in solar power plants: about 17,100 panels
Combined power and estimated annual output of solar power plants: 4.85 MWp and estimated annual output of 4.0 GWh (equivalent to annual electricity consumption of approximately 2,000 small apartment buildings or about 20 million kilometres driven by an electric car¹)
Largest solar power plant: Tokmanni's Administration and Logistics Centre, 3,000 solar panels, peak power of 825 kWp, estimated annual output of approximately 677 MWh
First solar power plant’s location, date of commissioning and number of solar panels: Jämsä, September 2016, 360 panels


The following Tokmanni locations already have a solar power plant:

Tokmanni Jämsä, commissioned in September 2016
Tokmanni Savonlinna, commissioned in August 2017
Tokmanni Kalajoki, commissioned in June 2018
Tokmanni’s Administration and Logistics Centre, Mäntsälä, commissioned in August 2018
Tokmanni Kouvola Tornionmäki, commissioned in October 2018
Tokmanni Lielahti, car wash, commissioned in March 2019
Tokmanni Uusikaupunki, commissioned in June 2019
Tokmanni Masku, commissioned in June 2019
Tokmanni Turku Länsikeskus, car wash, commissioned in June 2019
Tokmanni Lieto, commissioned in July 2019
Tokmanni Nastola, commissioned in July 2019
Tokmanni Järvenpää, commissioned in July 2019
Tokmanni Iisalmi, commissioned in August 2019
Tokmanni Juva, commissioned in August 2019
Tokmanni Ilmajoki, commissioned in August 2019
Tokmanni Hollola, commissioned in August 2019
Tokmanni Forssa, commissioned in August 2019
Tokmanni Heinola, commissioned in September 2019
Tokmanni Parainen, commissioned in September 2019
Tokmanni Tammisaari, commissioned in September 2019
Tokmanni Mänttä, commissioned in September 2019
Tokmanni Hämeenkyrö, commissioned in September 2019
Tokmanni Loviisa, commissioned in October 2019
Tokmanni Orivesi, commissioned in November 2019
Tokmanni Vääksy, commissioned in November 2019
Tokmanni Raahe, commissioned in April 2020
Tokmanni Laitila, commissioned in June 2020
Tokmanni Lapua, commissioned in June 2020
Tokmanni Virrat, commissioned in June 2020
Tokmanni Seinäjoki, commissioned in June 2020


Solar power plant is planned for these Tokmanni sites, for example:

Tokmanni Turenki, to be installed in June 2020
Tokmanni Kirkkonummi, to be installed in 2020
Tokmanni Mäntyharju, to be installed in 2020
Tokmanni Varkaus, to be installed in 2020


¹) The 3.40 GWh electricity generated by Tokmanni’s solar power plants that are already in use is based on measured production data for the period September 2016–May 2020. Tokmanni commissioned its first solar power plant at its Jämsä store in September 2016.

²) The calculations use the figure of 2,000 kWh as the annual electricity consumption of an apartment and the figure of 20 kWh as the electricity consumption of an electric car for every 100 kilometres driven.

³) The share of own solar power production in Tokmanni's total electricity consumption has been calculated using estimates of Tokmanni's own solar power production and total electricity consumption in 2020.

⁴) The share of own solar power production in Tokmanni's total electricity consumption has been calculated using estimates of Tokmanni's own solar power production and total electricity consumption in 2019.

⁵) Tokmanni’s emissions reduction of 482,000 kgCO₂ achieved with solar power is based on measured output data for the period of September 2016–May 2020. The CO₂ emission coefficient in Finland for average electricity generation (calculated as the average of the emission factors calculated using the benefit-sharing method for three statistical years [2016, 2017 and 2018]. The emission coefficient takes into account only domestic energy production, i.e. purchased electricity is not included) 141 kgCO₂/MWh. The value of the average emissions coefficient was updated on 12 May 2020.

⁶) The estimated emissions reduction is based on the estimated annual output of the planned solar power plants. The CO₂ emission coefficient in Finland for average electricity generation (calculated as the average of the emission factors calculated using the benefit-sharing method for three statistical years [2016, 2017 and 2018]. The emission coefficient takes into account only domestic energy production, i.e. purchased electricity is not included) 141 kgCO₂/MWh. The value of the average emissions coefficient was updated on 12 May 2020.


TOKMANNI


For further information, please contact:


Harri Koponen
Store Network and Concept Director

Tel. +358 20 728 6030
harri.koponen(at)tokmanni.fi


Emilia Koski
Head of Corporate Responsibility

Tel. +358 20 728 6529
emilia.koski(at)tokmanni.fi


Maarit Mikkonen
Head of IR and Communication

Tel. +358 40 562 2282
maarit.mikkonen(at)tokmanni.fi


Tokmanni is Finland’s leading discount retailer chain. Some 3,700 Tokmanni employees make customers’ everyday life and special occasions easier by offering a versatile and up-to-date assortment of Finnish and international brand-name products and other high-quality products at prices that are always affordable. With nearly 200 stores around Finland and an online store, Tokmanni is always close to its customers. Tokmanni’s revenue in 2019 amounted to EUR 944.3 million. Tokmanni’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.