17.05.2019.
In a formal ceremony, the minister of environment and energy, Tomislav Ćorić, and the representatives of the Board of Kaufland, together with the director of the Fund, Dubravko Ponoš, and his deputy, Alenka Košiša Čičin Šain, put into service a solar carport this chain store erected on the parking lot in front of their supermarket in Blato.
The carports with installed solar panels, which convert solar power into electricity, will generate annually as much has 17 % of energy required for the operation of this supermarket, and significantly reduce the emission of CO2. “The total value of Kaufland’s investments in various environmental protection projects over a 2-year period amounts to more than 20 million kunas, clearly showcasing that we really care about the environment and its protection,” said Vladimir Tomko, the president of the Kaufland Hrvatska Management Board.
In her introductory speech, the deputy director of the Fund, Mrs. Košiša Čičin Šain, pointed out that energy demand was constantly growing, so this type of financing should not be considered a cost, but prudent business investment. Mrs. Košiša Čičin Šain added that Kaufland purchased 2 electric vehicles with the grant from the Fund, and she announced a new public call for the procurement of electric vehicles that the Fund and the units of local self-government would launch on 22 May.
After extending congratulations on this project, Minister Ćorić and Director Ponoš underlined their hope that the parking lots of other Kaufland’s supermarkets would also have similar carports put into place. In conclusion, they added that the construction of a smart solar carport proved that the company was aware of the importance of sustainable business operations and corporate social responsibility, which was essential nowadays, because taking care of the environment should have priority.
