Whether it’s a forklift reach truck, order picker, electric low lift truck, or e-scooter with attached trailer – all the vehicles on the move between the HAIX logistic center’s high racks and loading bays are purely electric. This energy is sourced from electricity supplied by the solar panels on the building’s roof.

Over 1.5 million pairs of shoes are shipped around the world from the HAIX logistics center every year. A highly efficient and sustainably structured system is responsible for the organization, sorting, packing and shipping. From the forklift reach trucks sorting shoe boxes over 12 meters in the air to the e-scooters efficiently managing short trips with their trailers – everything is powered entirely with electric power. During the day, they also use every spare minute to dock in rotation at the various charging stations to refuel with solar power sourced directly from the roof. “That’s important for us, to ensure we get the most out of the generated solar power,” says Gerhard Müller, head of facility management for HAIX.

Solar power from the roof

HAIX put its first photovoltaic (PV) system into operation in Mainburg back in 2010. The solar power station on the central administrative building was followed by another on the roof of HAIX WORLD (total output: 100 kWp). The PV system on the logistic center’s roof is the third of its kind at the headquarters. Its 100 kWp capacity is currently being expanded, with a fourth solar power station providing an additional 100 kWp on the way.

Over 60% of the power supplied by the panels is used directly by HAIX’s grid – in 2021, over 55,000 kWh. The remaining 40% is fed into the public grid. This is primarily done on weekends and holidays, when production and supply chains are dormant.

The contribution of this clean energy towards climate protection is underscored by calculations done by the German Environment Agency (UBA) in 2021: Germany’s electricity mix releases 420 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt hour of electricity generated. If old brown coal power plants really do need to be reactivated for electricity generation, as has been discussed, these numbers would become significantly worse. The German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) calculates that the old power plants emit “up to 1,188 g CO₂ per kilowatt hour of electricity”. This means that, based on the numbers, HAIX investments in solar energy would save up to 230 metric tons of greenhouse gases from reaching the atmosphere each year.

Storage for even more direct consumption

As the HAIX roofs already frequently produce more power during the day than can be used, the new, fourth station will receive an additional storage solution as an intermediate buffer. “This way, we can charge our fully electric forklifts in an environmentally friendly way even at night, when no solar power is being generated,” states Gerhard Müller.

This brings the sustainability of the HAIX logistics center’s energy balance to a new dimension. Right now, the self-produced solar energy covers about 30% of the total energy use, as confirmed by figures from energy supplier E.ON.

“With the new PV system (99.5 kWp), there will be another marked improvement,” says Müller. The solar panels on the roof will produce just as much power as is consumed over the year. With the battery buffer storage, the percentage of self-produced solar power that is used directly on-site can more than double – an electrifying balance for both environmental and economic sustainability.