We're environmentally conscious! We power our honey processing with solar energy, saving tens of thousands of kilograms of carbon each year.

Back in November 2023, we got the green light for the solar power plant on our building in Čestín. According to simulations, it should cut our annual carbon footprint by up to 97,180 kilograms. That means we've beaten the calculated average in our field and are heading down the path to greater sustainability. We get that we need to take care of the environment around us, which our customers will surely appreciate, as well as the bees, without whom our industry wouldn't exist.

"Our solar panels have been running since last November, with two 100 kW photovoltaics operating on the company building in Čestín. Simulations of our carbon footprint show that they significantly reduce our environmental impact compared to the average in our industry," explains Ing. Viktor Špaček, who is in charge of marketing and sales. According to case studies, Medokomerc has achieved a self-sufficiency rate of 40.9% with a self-consumption share of 53.5% thanks to photovoltaics and emission reductions.

We are also preparing for the upcoming obligation to report results within ESG, which includes environmental aspects, social factors, and governance. "We are preparing for reporting by introducing measurements of our environmental impact, gradually moving towards fulfilling the set requirements," explains Viktor Špaček, adding: "After launching its own solar panels last year, Medokomerc plans to continue on the path of sustainable energy." Other measures to reduce the carbon footprint may include smart water meters, controlled ventilation with heat recovery, or investments in production technologies to achieve higher efficiency.

Clean energy has many benefits for companies and bees

Solar panels convert sunlight into direct current, which is then converted into alternating current by a so-called inverter. Thanks to this principle, photovoltaics do not need any moving parts to function and draw from a practically unlimited source of energy, of course depending on the weather and season.

In addition to the environment, solar panels also save costs, which can be really useful with fluctuating electricity prices, and excess energy can be stored or sold to the public grid.

In any case, climate change is not just an abstract concept for us, we perceive it mainly in relation to the animals that are most responsible for honey production – bees. They are mainly harmed by warmer springs, which cause the bees to wake up from hibernation earlier. This has a negative impact on both the pollination of crops and the ability of bees to "get by" with food. This finding was confirmed by a study by the University of Reading, which was published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

"We see it as a fundamental problem of today and we definitely want to contribute to its mitigation. The health of bees is key for every honey producer and solar panels are one way to improve the situation. We believe that if we are more ecological, we will indirectly ensure the highest quality honey for the future," concludes Viktor Špaček.