In recent years, STIHL has put many measures in place to improve energy efficiency. Click through our gallery to see a range of model projects from the world of STIHL.
Austria
A photovoltaic system has been in operation since 2018 at STIHL Tirol in Langkampfen, saving around 14 tonnes of CO2 a year. In recognition of this, STIHL Tirol received the title "climate active" from the climate protection initiative of the Austrian government's Sustainability and Tourism ministry in 2020 – for the second time. Plans are already in place to extend the installation. In addition, STIHL Tirol uses groundwater to cool the building. The water is fed through a cold exchanger and the ventilation system is fitted with state-of-the-art induction outlets. This achieves savings of around 80 percent in comparison to conventional cooling systems. The process also saves electricity and is therefore far cheaper to operate than conventional air-conditioning.
Sweden
In Stenkullen, Sweden, STIHL Norden has invested 280,000 euros in a new solar energy system. 924 solar panels with a total capacity of 240,000 kilowatt hours were installed on the roof of the newly constructed warehouse. The system went into operation in 2019. During the daytime it generates enough energy to cover the building's own consumption, and excess green electricity is sold regionally. The solar energy system was partially subsidized by the Swedish government.
Germany | Ludwigsburg plant
The Ludwigsburg plant was connected to the municipal district heating network operated by the Ludwigsburg-Kornwestheim public utility company in 2018. The five-kilometre integrated network is run using heat provided by wood, biogas and the sun. It is a climate-friendly source of heat that does not require the use of fossil fuels. Two heat exchangers supply up to 1400 kilowatts of heat energy, covering roughly 50 percent of the total heating requirement with district heating. As a further measure, the whole plant has been fitted with LED lighting, significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Brazil
Industrial wastewater is cleaned at the STIHL plant in São Leopoldo, Brazil, using the site's own chemical-physical wastewater treatment plant. Installation of the system has seen a significant reduction in the quantity of chemicals used. The wastewater is specially collected and treated and can be used several times over in the process chain. In 2017, the production line there also received a new heating system. In practical terms, the new version uses thermal energy for the heating resistors instead of electric power. This saves over 50 percent in energy costs.
Germany | Waiblingen-Neustadt plant
Since 2016, Plant 2 in Waiblingen-Neustadt has had a cogeneration unit which can generate nine million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year and six million kilowatt-hours of heat by itself. Thanks to absorption technology, the heat generated in the summer does not go to waste but is converted into cooling energy which is then applied to production processes and buildings. This not only saves costs and resources, it is also environmentally friendly. The use of primary energy relieves the environment of some 3,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 400 kilogrammes of particulate matter and soot and three tonnes of sulphur dioxide. Further measures at the Waiblingen-Neustadt plant include a charging station for electric vehicles and solar panels on the new production warehouse.
Germany | Weinsheim plant
2015 saw the optimisation of burner technology introduced on individual casting machines at the Weinsheim location. The suppliers of cast parts and assemblies introduced the technology, which consists of a process for recovering energy. The target was to achieve a reduction in gas consumption of approximately 30 percent for the various casting machine types (300 to 700 tonnes).
China
At the STIHL plant in Qingdao in China, a state-of-the-art factory extension went into operation in 2013. The production hall as well as office areas and the canteen are all mainly heated and cooled using water which has itself undergone heating or cooling by geothermal energy. The heat recovery system uses warm exhaust air from the hall, offices and testing cabins, the compressors and any future machinery, and is a central feature of the building management system. Service water heating is also a component of the system. Materials are transported between buildings via conveyor belts so there is no requirement for large gates between heated and unheated areas. In addition, the entire factory is fitted almost entirely with LED lights. The recirculating water treatment plant installed in 2019 has enabled STIHL Qingdao to cut its use of fresh water by 90 percent.
The STIHL distribution centre in Austria has been an exemplary location for climate protection since 2012. With its living green roof landscapes, zero use of fossil fuels and almost 100 percent green energy, it meets the highest technical and environmental standards. This innovative concept has allowed operating costs to be kept to a minimum and renewable energy types enable the site to run CO2-free.
United States
Since 2011, STIHL Incorporated in Virginia Beach has had six wind turbines in operation. Each of the turbines, which are almost two metres in height and weigh 110 kilogrammes, can generate up to 2.25 kilowatts of electricity, which contributes directly to the company's own consumption.