Vaasa factory gets 2,400 solar panels
More than 2,400 rooftop panels will supply 1 MWp of clean electricity to the upcoming Vaasa transformer facility, supporting Finland’s energy transition.
Vaasa factory / Image credit: Hitachi Energy
Finland, Vaasa: Hitachi Energy is installing 2,414 rooftop solar panels on its new transformer factory in the Vaasa region, creating a one-megawatt-peak (MWp) solar power plant as part of its push toward carbon-neutral operations. Once fully commissioned, the system will produce around 1.19 GWh of electricity per year, equal to the annual consumption of approximately 66 electrically heated Finnish detached houses. The solar installation will supply around 10 % of the site’s energy needs, cutting emissions by roughly 135 t of CO₂ annually.
The new factory is the core of the $197 M (€170 M) Hitachi Energy Park, a transformer production and energy technology centre spanning more than 40,000 m2 in Vikby, Mustasaari. When completed in 2027, the facility will double transformer production capacity in Finland, enabling larger products, supporting the clean energy transition and strengthening national grid security. Around 200 new employees will be recruited to support the expansion.
Norbert Beatrix, Hub Europe Manager for Transformers, said the factory reflects the company’s role in the energy transition. “We develop and produce technologies that accelerate electrification. The solar power plant feeding energy into our operations is a great example of responsible energy use.”
The facility will run entirely on renewable electricity, with geothermal heating and heat recovery from transformer manufacturing. All energy production and grid functions will be managed in real time using Hitachi Energy’s MicroSCADA system. Namita Asnani, Global Head of Sustainability for Transformers, said sustainability targets are embedded in the company’s strategy, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality at its sites by 2030.
The solar system is supplied by Solnet, a European provider of PV and battery solutions.
Source: Hitachi Energy
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