The new GEN24 Plus – sustainable right from the start

Company

10/12/2020

24 hours of sun – with this declared goal of covering our future energy needs from 100 percent renewable sources, we have committed ourselves to the responsible use of resources. Fronius is not only concerned with using sustainable materials, but also with thinking about production itself and transport routes. Using the GEN24 Plus as an example, this article will show you how Fronius has established a sustainable product life cycle and how specifically customers and partners benefit from this.

Technology & sustainability combined in one device

When developing our high-quality products we always focus on the complete solution. Our inverter is at its heart and is the key to our vision of 24 hours of sun. When using inverters, such as the GEN24Plus, no energy is lost unnecessarily due to simultaneous, parallel energy flows.

The devices are equipped with comprehensive functions so that no additional equipment and components are required. Due to energy sector integration (power2heat, power2emobility, etc.), the use of fossil fuels, such as oil or gas, is significantly reduced.

Clever product design also ensures cost savings and less wear, as the use of digital tools is prioritised.

More about sustainibility at Fronius

» Fronius prioritises the high-quality circular economy with particularly durable products that are both repairable and recyclable, and even contain recycled materials. «

David Schönmayr, Program Lead Sustainability by Design

Being aware of how we use raw materials and materials

As a sustainable cycle begins with (raw) materials, the optimal use of resources is particularly important to us and therefore deeply rooted in our principles. By carefully considering their use, at least 90% of cardboard boxes, plastic packaging and the main metal components of our inverters can be recycled.

Sophisticated production and manufacturing

With the aim of not only complying with environmental standards, but exceeding them, Fronius does more than is required by law. This applies above all to our sites themselves, which have an ISO-certified environmental management system, as well as to our plant and the individual processes we use. Around 80% of the total energy consumption, which even includes mobility and heating, comes from renewable sources. With our own 6,070 m² PV systems, we were also able to achieve an annual yield of over 588,400 kWh in 2019. This amount of energy would supply around 150 households for a whole year, or alternatively, 4 million km could be covered by an electric car.

Optimisation of transport routes

Where freight transport is concerned, it is also very important to us to further reduce our ecological footprint and keep our transport routes as short as possible. We therefore do not use air freight within Europe at all and prefer sea freight with pre-carriage by rail.

In addition to assembling, all metal components and printed circuit boards are also processed and produced in Austria.
By shifting the transport volume from air to sea freight and land transport, we have already been able to reduce 27% of our CO2 emissions in logistics in the past two years.

» Sustainable action is at the heart of everything we do at Fronius. This has been the case since the very beginning of the company’s history; the impetus to extend the short service life of car batteries through more efficient use of available energy came about roughly 75 years ago. Today we are placing more focus than ever on environmentally friendly solutions. «

Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß, CEO Fronius International GmbH

Durability of our products

We feel an obligation towards our environment and wider community to counteract the throwaway society. That is why our overriding aim is that our customers and partners can rely on the quality of our products. As early as the development phase, our devices are subjected to a large number of tests and inspections, which even go beyond the usual scope of the market. Even under harsh environmental conditions, customers can rely on the long service life of all Fronius products. In addition to the significant extension of the service life, for example, of our GEN24 Plus inverter, our innovative service plan allows individual components to be replaced quickly and easily. This means we guarantee not only a reliable supply of spare parts but also a high level of durability with limit values that exceed market standards.

Definition of sustainability: “People, Planet, Profit” – pays off for people, our planet and the bank balance.

Clever Recycling

In order to close the sustainable product cycle, the responsible use of the limited resources of our planet is an obligation in our view. Above all, the use of recycled materials and the reparability of all our products are crucial in this respect.

Additonally to the WEEE Directive* ,we use 90% recycled aluminium for the main component of our inverters, for example. Defective devices from all three Business Units are repaired on site in our 4,000m2 repair centre in Austria using original Fronius spare parts.

*waste electrical and electronic equipment in the EU

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