Solnet: Aurajoki invests in sustainability and chose solar electricity from Solnet

Aurajoki and Solnet have recently signed contracts regarding the design and construction of solar power plants for the Turku electrolytic coating plant and the Pirkkala hot-dip galvanizing plant.

Aurajoki Oy, founded in 1967, is a company specializing in metal surface treatment services and the manufacture of infrastructure steel structures and Finland’s leader in its field. Aurajoki has chosen sustainability as the cornerstone of its strategy and set a goal in the fall of 2022 to be carbon neutral from the beginning of 2024. They have now achieved this goal as the first company in their industry in Finland.

As part of their sustainability goals, Aurajoki and Solnet have recently signed contracts regarding the design and construction of solar power plants for the Turku electrolytic coating plant and the Pirkkala hot-dip galvanizing plant.

“Because of our industry, our production plants use a lot of electricity, and our company feels it is important to produce as much electricity as possible for our own use with the help of solar electricity. The entire income from solar power plants is used to run our production,” says Marko Rantala, Aurajoki’s Business Director.

Our own solar power plant is perfectly suited for the production of electricity in industries that use a lot of electricity and for increasing energy self-sufficiency. According to the EU’s renewed Energy Efficiency Directive, solar panel installations are also required for all new public and commercial properties by 2026, public and commercial buildings under renovation by 2027, and all new residential buildings by 2029. In addition to these, in existing public buildings in stages by 2030.

Responsibility consists of several different measures

Aurajoki has already switched to using e.g. electric forklifts and other electric machines and bought carbon-neutral electricity. Carbon neutrality is facilitated by the heat recovery system at the Lieto factory under construction, which also feeds heat into the city’s district heating network. Purchased electricity is already carbon neutral, as is the district heating used.

“We have decided to invest in sustainability in our strategy, because we see it as an important value for our company and a factor that increases our competitiveness. We have already taken several measures to achieve carbon neutrality from the beginning of 2024,” says Marko Rantala, Aurajoki’s Business Director.

The company’s sustainability therefore consists of many different areas, of which solar electricity also plays an important role. In addition to sustainability, solar electricity can also be used to equalize fluctuations in the price of electricity. In addition to these, Aurajoki also uses consumption flexibility and they have made long electricity contracts, which include electricity protection until 2025 and 2026.

Solnet’s original announcement (in Finnish)

Hot-Dip Galvanizing, Electrolytic Coatings, Steel Structures