Sustainability Initiatives

With our subsidiary BayWa r.e. AG, we connect renewable energies to the grid and make a contribution to the energy transition.

The activities of this business sector are pooled in the subsidiary BayWa r.e. AG. BayWa r.e. is one of the leading developers, service providers, PV wholesalers and suppliers of energy solutions in the field of renewable energies. With the claim "r.e.think energy" - rethinking energy, the company is active worldwide. As a full-service partner with more than 30 years of experience in wind project planning and solar trading, BayWa r.e. has already commissioned renewable energy plants with a capacity of 4.5 gigawatts and is responsible for the operational management of more than 10 gigawatts of plant capacity.

In 2020, bayWa r.e. completed the largest floating PV plant outside China on a Dutch quarry pond by constructing three floating solar plants with a total output of 25 MWp in the Netherlands. This solar park generates enough electricity to supply around 7,200 households. Floating photovoltaic systems on unused water areas, such as disused lignite mines, sand pits or reservoirs, can make an important contribution to the energy transition. They are also easier to install, have lower operating and maintenance costs than ground-mounted systems and avoid land use conflicts. 

In several Agri-PV pilot projects in the Netherlands, BayWa r.e. and its subsidiary GroenLeven are investigating how the use of solar modules can be successfully combined with the cultivation of different berry varieties. The modules provide both good climatic conditions for the plants and protection from extreme weather events. Both are becoming increasingly important for specialty crop cultivation due to climate change. The projects have shown that the quality of the fruit can be improved and production costs can be reduced. In addition, this type of cultivation conserves important resources by increasing land use efficiency and reducing plastic waste and water consumption.

BayWa Mobility Solutions GmbH, a subsidiary of BayWa AG, is driving forward CO2-optimized mobility solutions. BayWa is thus making an important contribution to decarbonizing transport. BayWa Mobility Solutions offers a mobility portfolio with integrated consulting, for example as a fleet solution for medium-sized companies, for agriculture or private individuals. The focus is currently on the continuous development and expansion of an LNG (liquefied natural gas) filling station network for heavy goods vehicles and electromobility for vehicle fleets with a range of services from consulting and planning to the installation of infrastructure. With the BayWa fuel and charging card, customers can also use more than 3,500 filling stations and 95% of public charging stations. In the future, the range is to be expanded to include sustainable drive technologies such as hydrogen or synthetic fuels.

BayWa Premium wood pellets have been 100% PEFC-certified since September 2016. This means that the sawdust from which BayWa Premium Pellets are made comes from sustainable forestry. As only wood pellet producers and sawmills are usually PEFC-certified, the certification of BayWa Premium Wood Pellets is exceptional.

The biotope combines solar panels with biodiversity areas and tests various agricultural photovoltaic models.

Up to 90% CO2 savings : BayWa adds new recycling line to its lubricant portfolio re:source: How long gearboxes and machines function smoothly depends, among other things, on the right lubricants. The better their quality, the longer the machines last. A fundamentally sustainable idea. Those who also want to conserve oil resources and save CO2 can rely on so-called reaffinates. By choosing the right product, companies can make a big impact.

“Lubricants are not the first thing companies think about when it comes to reducing their own CO2 footprint,” says Udo Weigand, Product Manager Lubricants at BayWa AG. “There is still a persistent rumor that recycled lubricants are inferior to primary products in terms of performance. We can clearly contradict this myth and are therefore delighted to be able to offer our customers recycled lubricants as a genuine closed-loop product as part of our re:source product line. 

Because we see that: Customers are paying more attention to sustainability aspects when choosing their products. This is partly due to increasing regulation for more environmental and climate protection. Who, if not the retail sector, is best placed to provide appropriate advice, dispel myths and thus work towards greater sustainability along the entire value chain?”