By continuing to invest in renewable energy and promoting its use in its operations, energy trader and convenience store network AS VIRŠI-A (hereinafter – Virši) is significantly expanding its cooperation with Latvian producers by providing renewable electricity at all Virši service stations. The Company’s portfolio currently includes 65 local producers using the sun, water, biomass and biogas to generate electricity. At the same time, almost half or 31 Virši service stations produce solar energy for self-consumption, representing a material share – an average of 22% of the electricity required to operate its service stations.
“With sustainability and responsible management in mind, we are continuously looking for opportunities to use renewable energy sources, which is why we started active cooperation with more than 30 Latvian renewable electricity producers in 2022. During the past year, increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the Virši portfolio, we have also significantly expanded our range of partners and are now working with 65 local producers. They also provide certificates of origin so that we can trace back the source of the electricity consumed at all Virši service stations and offices when we are unable to generate enough electricity ourselves from our own solar panels,” says Janis Bethers, Head of Business Development Department at Virši.
Currently, a total of more than 1200 solar panels have been installed at 31 Virši network service stations and on the roof of the Aizkraukle office, providing 485 kW of power. “During the day, the solar panels can fully cover the electricity consumption of the service station, but given that Virši serves customers around the clock, depending on the size of the service station and the characteristics of the installed equipment, the solar panels can cover between 15% and 40% of the service station's electricity consumption in a month. Our calculations show that on average just over a fifth, or 22%, of the total electricity consumption of these service stations is covered by the solar energy produced on site,” explains J. Bethers.
Currently, solar panel systems are installed at the Virši service stations in Broceni, at both stations in Liepaja, Ventspils, Jelgava, Jaunolaine, Babite, at four service stations in Riga, Rezekne, Valka, Daugavpils, Jekabpils, Tukums, Ludza, Grenctale, Gauja, Pure, Adaži, Smiltene, Aizkraukle, Ragana, Cesis, Dzelmes, Kandava, Karsava, Malpils, Valle. By continuing to expand the use of environmentally friendly renewable electricity, this summer several more service stations will be added to the list, exceeding a total capacity of 500 kW.
