KHS, MaGeno-Solar eG commission 379 kWp photovoltaic system at Worms plant

GERMANY – KHS GmbH, in partnership with employee cooperative MaGeno-Solar eG, has commissioned a new photovoltaic (PV) system at its production site in Worms, further advancing the company’s renewable energy and decarbonization agenda.

The system, with a total capacity of 379.47 kWp, recently went into operation and is expected to generate around 342,000 kWh of electricity annually.

Equipped with 834 solar modules, the installation will cover a significant share of the plant’s electricity requirements in a climate-neutral manner.

It also marks the continued rollout of MaGeno-Solar eG’s employee-led cooperative model, which has already been successfully implemented at KHS facilities in Dortmund and Bad Kreuznach.

Under this model, the cooperative, founded and financed by active and retired KHS employees, fully funds the PV systems using its own capital.

KHS leases the solar installations on a long-term basis and consumes the electricity directly in its production processes.

This approach stabilizes energy costs for the company, while allowing the cooperative to refinance its investment through leasing payments and distribute returns to its members.

“With Worms, we’re consistently further promoting this tried-and-tested model,” said Bernd Molitor, chairman of MaGeno-Solar eG.

“Our members demonstrate that the energy transition and employee commitment go hand in hand at KHS. We’re taking responsibility for our company, the climate and future generations.”

The new PV system is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions at the Worms site by around 236 metric tonnes per year.

This supports KHS’s wider climate strategy, which targets a reduction of approximately 36% in greenhouse gas emissions across all production plants by 2028.

Together with its parent company, Salzgitter AG, KHS aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest.

KHS noted that its close cooperation with MaGeno-Solar eG underscores how sustainability is embedded in day-to-day operations rather than treated as a purely strategic objective.

The cooperative’s efforts were recently recognized with the GenoAward from Genoverband, Germany’s association of cooperatives, with the jury highlighting its communal approach and role-model character for corporate energy transition projects.

The Worms facility, which employs about 250 people, serves as KHS’s competence centre for palletizing technology.

“The photovoltaic system is another step towards making our production more sustainable and more independent,” said plant manager Dr Mohamed Astitouh.

“We’re showing that economic success and climate protection go together.”

The project aligns with a broader trend across the European machinery and packaging sectors, where manufacturers are increasingly investing in on-site renewable energy generation to hedge against volatile energy prices and meet tightening climate regulations.

KHS confirmed that similar PV initiatives are planned for other national and international production sites as part of its long-term sustainability roadmap.

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