Strong Signal for Regional Energy Transition

The Hansgrohe Group Takes an Important Step Towards the Decarbonization of Production Sites with badenova

Schiltach, in May 2024. The Hansgrohe Group is sending out a strong signal for local energy transition, with badenova, an energy service provider from Freiburg. For the first time, the manufacturer of premium products for bathroom and kitchen based in Schiltach will purchase renewable electricity from the newly built badenova wind farm in Kallenwald in the Black Forest via a service provider. The two companies are thus demonstrating how production sites can be decarbonized with and through the expansion of renewable energy generation in the region.

Cooperation Model Honored

Thekla Walker, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Energy of the State of Baden-Württemberg, also acknowledged the expansion of regional wind power in combination with the commitment of two regional companies to the energy transition. She visited the Kallenwald wind farm as part of a press event organized by badenova and Hansgrohe on May 6, 2024 and officially inaugurated it. "Renewable energies are an important location factor. Direct access to cheap wind power improves the competitiveness of companies. The state government supports this development. With many individual measures from the Renewable Energy Task Force, we have significantly shortened the time from application to approval of a wind turbine. We are therefore expecting a new upswing in wind power in the coming years," said Walker.

Upswing for Regional Energy Transition

"We are proud to make our contribution to the energy transition in the region with badenova," says Hans Jürgen Kalmbach, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hansgrohe SE. "We have been stringently pursuing the path of green transformation since 1987. On the one hand, with water- and energy-saving products that also help to reduce CO2 emissions. But also through our efforts for sustainable energy procurement." The agreement with badenova is therefore also an absolute milestone for Hansgrohe on this path. The Hansgrohe sites in Offenburg and Schiltach will initially purchase this electricity for the period 2024-2029, thus taking an important step on the path to decarbonization.

The power purchasing agreement (PPA) includes the supply of renewable electricity from the Kallenwald wind farm to Hansgrohe via a service provider. The quantity purchased per year corresponds to the annual yield generated by a wind turbine.

Big Goals with Renewable Energy

badenova board member Hans-Martin Hellebrand summarized in his welcoming address: "As a shaper of the energy transition, we have set ourselves ambitious goals for the expansion of renewable energies, which we are consistently implementing. The commissioning of our wind turbine at Kallenwald is another example of our efforts. The fact that we can also support regional industry on the path to decarbonization of locations by passing on the Kallenwald electricity to Hansgrohe makes the project a win-win."

Facts Wind Project

The wind turbine manufactured by Enercon is located on the hilltop of the Kallenwald forest in the district of Seelbach at an altitude of around 545 meters. With a total height of 230 meters and a rated output of 4.2 megawatts (MW), the type is similar to the wind turbines at the Hohenlochen wind farm. The wind turbine uses state-of-the-art plant technology that generates around 9 million kWh of electricity per year. The resulting CO2 savings per year amount to around 3,690 tons. Key points that also convinced the local communities and led to a lot of support and good cooperation between the various project participants.

Compensatory Measures

Sustainability aspects and the protection of flora and fauna were a major focus during the planning and implementation of the project. Sebastian Schüßler, Head of Wind Project Development at badenovaWÄRMEPLUS, comments: "Implementing projects in harmony with nature is a high priority for us and is taken very seriously. We have even overcompensated for our impact on nature at Kallenwald, which for us is part of our self-image of regional responsibility". To compensate for the impact on nature and the environment, badenovaWÄRMEPLUS created two ponds as a feeding habitat for bats and a habitat for woodcock and installed over 150 nesting boxes for bats, dormice and birds. Two woodland areas also provide long-term habitats for bats and other animals by taking them out of forestry use. The majority of the compensatory measures will run for the next 20 to 25 years. Further information can be found at badenova.de/wind  

About badenova

badenova claims to be the largest energy supply company in southern Baden with its headquarters in Freiburg im Breisgau. As a regional company in municipal ownership, badenova is firmly anchored in Baden and is known for consistently driving forward the energy transition through the expansion of renewables. Always in close dialog with the local communities, at eye level, creating value, with the region - for the region. The company's concrete goals are to be climate-neutral by 2035 and to install renewable energy plants with a capacity of one gigawatt by then. Almost a third, namely at least 300 megawatts, is to be contributed by newly built wind turbines in the region, with a further 200 megawatts planned through investments in various wind projects across Germany and the rest in the form of photovoltaic projects. Wind and photovoltaic projects are developed and implemented within badenova by its wholly owned subsidiaries badenovaWÄRMEPLUS and, in future, badenovaERNEUERBARE. The companies are supported by DGE (Das Grüne Emissionshaus), an independent service company for wind and solar parks based in Freiburg, in which badenova holds a 50% stake. The bundled wind expertise ranges from the project idea to project development, the planning and construction of wind farms, the operational management of currently around 200 wind turbines through to dismantling. badenova has thus established itself as a comprehensive service provider and reliable partner for local authorities in the wind power sector. Examples of successfully completed wind projects include the Hohenlochen and Kambacher Eck wind farms in the Ortenau district. Wind farms currently in the planning stage, such as the one in Oberndorf a.N., which has received a great deal of support from the local population, also demonstrate the company's commitment and the momentum that wind power has gained in Baden-Württemberg.

About the Hansgrohe Group – Setting the Beat of Water. Since 1901.

With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. Founded in 1901 in the Black Forest, the company gives water form and function with its faucets, showerheads and shower systems. In combination with sanitary ceramics and bathroom furniture, the company offers individual design options from a single source for holistic bathroom experiences. The 123-year history of the company is marked by innovations, such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen faucet, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower.The company holds more than 20,000 active property rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products and for responsibility towards people and the environment. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. By developing innovative technologies for faucets and showers, Hansgrohe achieves the greatest possible effect on protecting water as a resource and limiting and adapting to climate change during the usage phase of its products. As part of its consistent sustainability strategy, Hansgrohe is equipping all water-bearing products exclusively with water-saving technologies by 2030 within its "ECO 2030" initiative. With 35 subsidiaries and 21 sales offices supplying products in more than 150 countries, the globally active company in the sanitary industry is a reliable partner to its customers in all regions of the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 700 design prizes since 1974. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are found around the world: on renowned cruise ships, in luxurious 5-star and boutique hotels, in international metropolitan cities, in extraordinary spas, exclusive bathrooms of lodges and luxury villas, public facilities, as well as in countless private homes. The Hansgrohe Group’s high quality standards are ensured by eight wholly-owned production facilities: four in Germany, one each in France, in Serbia, the United States and China. In 2023, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.406 billion. It employs around 5,400 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.