With environmental issues becoming more and more important, using electricity from local solar power plants is considered a positive business practice. The decision to generate electricity by themselves was also recently made by the Lithuanian chain Jammi, which manages 17 fast food restaurants in Lithuania. The head of the company's strategy, Žilvinas Kuprėnas, says that UAB "Kulverstukai" is investing 0,5 million. EUR to the park of solar power plants, with the help of which the aim is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during business processes, to contribute to the preservation of the environment and mitigation of climate change. According to Ž. Kuprenos, such a step in the future will help protect against electricity price jumps, thus ensuring the stability of business finances.
Investment of half a million - for a more stable business future
Žilvinas Kuprėnas, the strategy manager of the fast food restaurant chain "Jammi", states that he chose one of the leading companies in the Baltic countries working with solar power plants - "Greenup" (UAB "Elektra Man") for the implementation of the sustainable business idea. The capacity of the purchased solar power plant is measured at half a megawatt, and 0,5 million The payback period for an investment in the amount of EUR is calculated from 3 to 5 years, depending on consumption and market prices.
"We have also carefully considered the additional investment costs that will be allocated to servicing, cleaning, environmental care, etc. of the solar power plant. By jointly integrating solar energy into restaurant energy infrastructure, we expect to save considerable funds in the long run. Once installed, solar power systems provide a reliable source of electricity with low ongoing costs, reducing dependence on fluctuating utility rates. Such financial stability is particularly important for us as a business," says the head of Jammi's strategy.
Will cover more than half of business electricity needs
The team of the fast food restaurant chain "Jammi" has a really positive attitude: "It is extremely important for us that our activities do not harm nature. Even before the EU requirements came into effect, we replaced all single-use dishes and tools with fully recyclable ones, we educate guests by encouraging them to choose a smaller amount of packaging, and now we have decided to take another big step and start using green energy."
The 18-month project is expected to receive permits and be operational this summer: the newly installed solar plant is currently estimated to cover just over half of the restaurant chain's energy needs, with the rest coming from the market.
"Renewable solar electricity will be used to supply Jammi restaurants and to support the operation of UAB Kulverstukai production facilities." In the future, we hope to cover the other part of the electricity with a wind farm: this would allow us to extract energy in the off-season. Until now, in the company's fast food restaurants, we use lighting controlled by motion sensors, using LED lamps, we try to choose more economical devices, different amounts of equipment are used according to flows (for example, when the load decreases, part of the hardware is disconnected, etc.). The company's administration uses electric cars for work, and in the future we plan to use electric trucks to deliver fresh ingredients to the restaurants of the chain several times a day," says Jammi's strategy manager.
The implementation of ideas emphasizes participation in the socially conscious market
Ž. Kuprėnas adds that such a move by the company is also relevant for customers: as awareness of climate change increases, more and more people are turning to catering establishments practicing sustainable business, which would reflect the customers' own values. "By focusing on our renewable energy commitments, we not only attract environmentally conscious visitors, it's also a chance to improve brand reputation and gain a competitive edge in the market."
According to Jammi's head of strategy, even more business steps towards sustainability allow the fast food restaurant chain's team to be more assured that their operations are depleting scarce resources and avoiding irreparable damage to the environment.
"All the sustainability ideas that have already been implemented and are still in the plans really reduce the risk of business activity, without losing sight of economic efficiency. In addition, sustainability initiatives often stimulate innovation: we always tend to rethink traditional business practices, which in turn could encourage other companies and start-ups to develop new technologies, processes and products that use resources more efficiently and protect our environment. Basically, we consider the integration of sustainability into business practices not only a moral imperative, but also a strategic necessity to achieve long-term success and resilience in a rapidly changing world", explains Ž. Backpack.
