Start of construction for new gigafactory to double capacity

04/20/2023 | Print view

This is what it will look like, SMA's new factory. - © SMA — © SMA

This is what it will look like, SMA's new factory.

The inverter manufacturer is starting the construction of a new gigafactory. SMA is thus doubling its production capacity from the current 20 to 40 gigawatts. This will cost 80 million euros.

In the future, photovoltaics will be intelligently networked with storage units, e-mobility and other sectors in order to integrate solar power into the overall system. "To this end, SMA wants to manufacture system solutions for large-scale solar plants in two years' time and deliver them all over the world," says Managing Board spokesman Jürgen Reinert.

Production set up by mid-2024

100 guests celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the new factory on the Sandershäuserberg in Niestetal in central Germany. For the construction of the €80 million investment project, SMA has teamed up with the two Hamburg-based real estate companies Property Team and Garbe Industrial Real Estate. As developers and investors, the two companies are responsible for the turnkey and on-time realisation of the project. Bremer, a company based in Paderborn, Germany, will build the new SMA production facility using resource-efficient construction methods by mid-2024.

"We generally develop our projects according to current ecological standards and ESG criteria. This is part of our corporate strategy," says Jan Dietrich Hempel, Managing Director of GARBE Industrial Real Estate GmbH. "We have also placed great emphasis on sustainability in the new building for SMA. For example, the building will be equipped with a photovoltaic system, constructed according to the KfW 40 EE energy efficiency standard and certified according to the Gold Standard of the DGNB. Equally, however, the investment in the new production hall also supports solar energy as an important building block for future energy supply."

Ecological footprint as small as possible

The new production factory combines sustainable construction and high efficiency in operation. This is confirmed by the Gold Certificate of the German Sustainable Building Council, says Michael Dufhues, board member at Bremer. "In all construction projects, our goal is to conserve natural resources and keep the ecological footprint as small as possible throughout the entire life cycle. (nhp/mfo)

Also interesting: More than 20 gigawatts of inverters installed in North America