Slovenian cement manufacturer Alpacem has announced plans to construct the nation’s largest solar power facility at its production site in Anhovo. This ambitious project involves the installation of over 25,000 solar panels and a high-capacity 32 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). Expected to be fully operational by May 2028, the facility will generate approximately 20,000 MWh of clean electricity annually. This output will significantly boost the company’s renewable energy self-sufficiency from 4% to 18% while reducing annual CO2 emissions by an estimated 5,000 tons.
Alpacem, formerly known as Salonit Anhovo, is significantly scaling up its existing energy infrastructure. The company previously commissioned a 2.2 MW rooftop solar power plant in 2022 and initiated a 1.5 MW expansion the following year. The upcoming phase represents a major technological leap, integrating a battery energy storage system (BESS) with 16 MW of operating power to ensure a stable and efficient energy supply for the cement factory’s intensive operations.
According to Simon Kragelj, Alpacem’s Head of Energy Management, the total energy generated by the new installation will be equivalent to the annual consumption of roughly 5,000 Slovenian households. By increasing the share of internally sourced green energy to nearly a fifth of its total requirements, the company aims to insulate itself from market volatility while meeting its sustainability targets.
The project arrives at a pivotal moment for the Slovenian energy sector. To date, the country’s largest operational solar facility has a capacity of just 7.1 MW. While Slovenia boasts a total installed solar capacity of roughly 1.5 GW, the market has been dominated by small-scale installations on residential and commercial rooftops. Utility-scale solar projects are only recently beginning to gain momentum.
Other major industrial players are following a similar path toward decarbonization. Aluminum producer Talum has expressed intentions to install up to 60 MW of solar capacity, while the country’s largest planned photovoltaic venture remains the 140 MW Družmirje floating solar plant. Alpacem’s expansion in Anhovo is set to be a cornerstone of this transition, providing a blueprint for how heavy industry can integrate large-scale renewable solutions and battery technology to lower its environmental footprint.