Šariš Brewery has signed Slovakia’s first Virtual PPA with Enery, securing renewable electricity from a new solar park starting in 2025. This landmark agreement supports the brewery’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
Plzeňský Prazdroj’s Sustainability Strategy
Šariš Brewery is set to make a major transition to renewable energy starting in 2025. The brewery has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Enery—an independent green energy provider based in Austria—marking the first agreement of its kind in Slovakia. The deal will provide the brewery with renewable electricity from a new solar park in Iliašovce, Eastern Slovakia.
This shift is a key part of the larger sustainability strategy of Plzeňský Prazdroj, the brewery’s parent company, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2030. With this virtual PPA, Šariš Brewery joins a growing number of European businesses transitioning to cleaner energy sources.
Enery’s new solar park in Iliašovce is critical to this transition. The plant will produce enough green electricity to meet approximately 92 percent of the brewery’s annual energy needs, amounting to around 7.2 GWh per year.
According to Martin Grygařík, Sales Director of Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko, Šariš Brewery is leading the way in Slovakia by supporting the construction of a local solar plant through this long-term agreement. This renewable energy will power both the brewery and the malthouse in Veľký Šariš.
Virtual PPA: A First in Slovakia
Šariš Brewery’s partnership with Enery is a virtual PPA, an innovative agreement that allows the brewery to access green energy for a decade. VPPAs are becoming an increasingly popular option for businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint and stabilize energy costs.
Ján Horváth, CEO of Enery Slovakia, calls this type of agreement the most transparent way to secure renewable energy. The brewery will know exactly who supplies its electricity and when, helping it achieve its sustainability goals with confidence.
The virtual PPA offers several benefits beyond supplying clean energy. Ivan Tučník, Sustainability Manager at Plzeňský Prazdroj, noted that this agreement will also contribute to reducing the overall carbon footprint of the Slovakian power grid and enhancing the country’s energy self-sufficiency.
Expected to be operational within six months, the solar park will be built on an 8.8-hectare site and feature 10,582 photovoltaic (PV) modules with an installed capacity of 6.3 MWp. While these panels will supply clean electricity to the Slovakian power grid, the brewery will draw an equivalent amount of power for its operations.
Brewing with Solar Energy by 2025
From 2025 onwards, Šariš Brewery will run almost entirely on green electricity. The new solar park in Iliašovce, combined with the brewery’s own solar plant in Veľký Šariš, will cover 98 percent of its electricity consumption. The remaining 2 percent will come from sources backed by certificates of origin.
Grzegorz Komora, Plant Manager at Šariš Brewery, emphasized that the brewery has already halved its energy consumption over the past decade through efficiency improvements. Now, the focus is shifting decisively to renewable energy sources.
By relying on solar energy, the brewery will significantly reduce its carbon footprint. This shift is expected to cut CO2 emissions by 1,386 tonnes annually, lowering the overall carbon impact of its production by 18 percent.
The virtual PPA between Šariš Brewery and Enery is a significant step toward Slovakia’s green energy future. As the first agreement of its kind in the country, it not only accelerates the brewery’s shift to renewable energy but also contributes to the broader goal of reducing carbon emissions across the Slovak power grid.
