Finland's largest distribution center, the size of 10 soccer fields
1,600 solar panels installed on the roof
Maintain continuous and stable power distribution
Schneider Electric will install Finland's largest industrial microgrid and IoT-based building automation system at Lidl's new distribution center in Järvenpää, Finland, on November 30. Built on a 60,000-square- ^meter site—equivalent to the size of ten soccer fields—Finland's largest distribution center will be fully operational in early 2019.


Smart Microgrids, Procuring 100% Renewable Energy
Schneider Electric has implemented the cloud-based 'EcoStuxure Microgrid Advisor' to implement sustainable and cost-effective microgrids.

Additionally, a solar power plant consisting of 1,600 panels is installed on the building's roof, generating electricity from the sun's heat and utilizing it for combined heating and cooling. Heat recovered from the distribution center's refrigeration units and systems is used to power the building and provide hot water to approximately 500 Järvenpae residents. Additionally, the distribution center's microgrid is equipped with a battery energy storage system, which helps mitigate surges in consumption and maintain continuous and stable power distribution.

“The battery energy storage system we have implemented at Lidl allows us to respond quickly to rapidly increasing energy consumption in extreme cold weather, while ensuring a stable and continuous supply of electricity,” said Simo Siitonen, Energy Manager at Lidl Finland.

EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor simplifies the integration of distributed energy resources and enables facility managers and operators to collect, predict, and optimize operational information on site resources. It also enables real-time monitoring and management of microgrid control systems, energy usage optimization, power and heating demand response, energy storage, solar power systems, and heating and cooling systems.


Smart building automation system aimed at 50% energy savings
Lidl is also introducing Schneider Electric's 'EcoStruxure Building Operation', an integrated building management system. EcoStruxure Building Operations, an open building management platform, integrates multiple systems for centralized, real-time control and management of multiple corporate buildings, as well as remote access and analytics services to improve energy efficiency.

Schneider Electric has implemented EcoStruxure Building Operations, a solution tailored to Lidl's building environment, to support remote on-site management and operational services. Lidl's tailored management service is the first in Finland to receive international ISO 27001-2013 information security certification.

“Our goal is to build the greenest grocery distribution center in the Nordic countries,” says Simo Sitonen. “The building will be carbon-neutral and will reduce energy costs by 50 percent. The project is based on the UK’s BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) environmental certification standard, and we wanted to work with a partner who could support an integrated management system solution across multiple buildings and deliver maximum energy efficiency.”

“The EcoStruxure Microgrid and Building Operations integrated solution implemented in Lidl Finland enables advanced facility operations compared to conventional buildings,” said Tuomas Qvick, Vice President Eco Building and Field Services at Schneider Electric Finland. “This solution has significant international implications as it demonstrates that building construction and operation are possible in a carbon-neutral and sustainable way.”