A solar system the size of two football pitches on Bella Center's roof will in future cover a third of Bella Center's electricity consumption. The 550W solar panel will be the largest of its kind in Zealand.

Zealand's largest roof-integrated solar system now sees the light of day on top of the Bella Center in Copenhagen. When all solar cells are connected, the on grid solar system has a capacity of 2.79 MW. This means that the solar cells can produce green energy equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 537 households with two adults and two children.

The solar cells are part of the sustainability strategy of Bellagroup, which owns Bella Center, and which has long worked with initiatives that can reduce energy consumption in the group's hotels and venues. Earlier this year, the new Bella Arena received certification for being sustainable construction in international gold class. Now you take the next step and start producing the energy yourself.

"It is quite obvious to utilize the many flat roofs in the big cities to create green energy, and there are not many people who have as large a roof area as we do. We work purposefully with sustainability and responsibility across all our hotels and venues as part of our "responsible hospitality" strategy. We are therefore very excited that we can now utilize the roof's potential to generate renewable energy for the Bella Center and AC Hotel Bella Sky," says Christian Folden Lund, CEO of Bellagroup.

Leading the way in the development of responsible hospitality

The Bella Center is already one of Europe's most ambitious convention centers when it comes to integrating climate and environmental considerations and social sustainability into production. With the solar cells, Bella Center takes another step in the green direction with its own production of green electricity corresponding to just over a third of the center's electricity consumption in 2021.

"The climate footprint is an important parameter when our customers have to choose where their large international conferences will take place. Copenhagen is already known as a green choice, and we would like to expand that position. As Northern Europe's largest conference venue, we would like to be at the forefront of the development of future responsible hospitality. We are taking a huge step with the new solar cell system, but we are constantly looking at how we can keep improving," says Christian Folden Lund.

Bellagroup is also replacing 5,500 light sources at AC Hotel Bella Sky with LED lighting in 2023. Together with the establishment of the new solar cell system, it reduces Bellagroup's Co2 emissions by more than 400 tonnes annually.

Most ambitious solar project in Zealand

It is the company NRGreen that is establishing the new solar cell system on the roof of the Bella Center. It will cover an area of 16,000 m2, which is comparable to two large football pitches.

And nothing like it has been seen in Zealand.

"It is the largest and most ambitious project that we have helped to create. And clearly the largest of its kind in Zealand. With the solar system, the Bella Center gets green energy on an area that is not already being used for anything. And which does not bother the eye or take up space in the landscape," says Simon Borbiconi, partner at NRGreen.

Facts

Size: 16,000 m2 or the equivalent of two football pitches.

Capacity: 2.79 MW or approximately 537 households' annual consumption.

Annual CO2 reduction: 379 tonnes