Before Genelec Oy decided to expand its logistics center in Finland, it aimed to start using renewable energy after the renovation. It vetted different partners and chose Solnet Group due to its one-of-a-kind and innovative solar energy solutions.
The cooperation has been so successful that the only reason Genelec doesn't have more solar panels is that they've run out of roof space.
In the beautiful scenery of Iisalmi are Genelec’s HQ and its production facilities. Even though the company is headquartered in Finland, it has offices worldwide: In the US, China, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Spain and India.
The family company has been the world leader in designing and manufacturing audio systems for professional use since it was founded in 1978.
Sustainability has always been one of the company’s core values, and in 2018 it partnered with Solnet Group to increase its usage of renewable energy.
“Solnet convinced us from the get-go with its professionalism and one-of-a-kind intelligent solar energy system”, says Piia-Riitta Bergman, the Production Director at Genelec.
“In hindsight, it was a good call from us to go with the cutting-edge sustainability technology Solnet had to offer”, adds Pekka Nissinen, Senior Designer who has worked at Genelec for 38 years.
450 solar panels cover 30% of energy usage
The project started with a planning stage, where Solnet and Genelec mapped out what the system would look like. The planning was started in 2018 and the installation was done by Solnet in 2019.
Already in 2020, Genelec decided to expand the solar energy system while it further expanded its facilities.
“After the system was installed, we quickly realized that the technology used is the future and we wanted to expand using it as soon as it was possible”, Bergman describes.
At the moment, the solar panel system consists of 450 solar panels that produce around 100 megawatt hours annually.
Genelec has already been expanding its solar system for the second time.
“Our current capacity is 150 KWp. After the next expansion is completed, our total capacity will reach 250 KWp”, Nissinen states.
Intelligent panel map system ensures function
Because Genelec has hundreds of individual panels on its roofs, it is crucial that any errors can be easily spotted, found, and fixed.
Solnet provides Genelec with a smart solar solution that combines IoT, data collection, and efficient monitoring in a user-friendly way.
“Solnet provided us with a panel map that alerts us in real-time if a panel is not functioning properly. This technology has saved us time and effort, as we never need to measure each panel to identify the defect”, Nissinen explains.
The reasons for dysfunctional solar panels range from technical issues that require fixing to having too much dust on the panel.
“During the past 5 years, we haven’t had any issues with Solnet’s products. We’re happy that we chose this cutting-edge future-proof technology”, Nissinen continues.
Together towards a greener future
Genelec is an excellent example of how companies can embrace sustainable solutions and use renewable energy. Its collaboration with Solnet has shown that an intelligent solar energy system can be reliable, smooth, and user-friendly. It has made going green easy and worthwhile.
“I can recommend investing in solar energy to anyone interested in using renewable energy. Solnet has provided a very intelligent, very lifetime efficient, and overall, a very good solution for us”, Bergman concludes.
Nissinen agrees with Bergman and adds that Solnet is easy to work with and has a very customer-centric approach.
“The only thing stopping us from expanding our collaboration with Solnet is having zero roof space left”, Nissinen laughs.
