CASE STUDY
Água Serrana, Ascendi, Molinos AFAU, Comansa and Sam Mills – the main projects in the sector.
Operational efficiency with energy efficiency
Five flagship solar and storage projects delivered by Greenvolt, helping businesses reduce costs, increase renewable energy self-consumption and autonomy.
As businesses navigate rising energy costs, increasing electrification, and growing sustainability ambitions, energy storage has become a key enabler of a more resilient and efficient energy future. By combining solar generation with battery storage, organizations can maximize self-consumption, reduce reliance on the grid, and gain greater control over their energy use.
At Greenvolt Next, we design and deliver tailored solar storage solutions that help organizations optimize energy performance while strengthening operational resilience. Across industries ranging from food production and manufacturing to infrastructure, and consumer goods, our projects enable businesses to unlock greater value from renewable energy and accelerate their sustainability goals.
Through these initiatives, we are helping businesses build more flexible, efficient, and future-ready operations, demonstrating how solar storage can transform the way energy is generated, managed, and consumed.
THE PROJECTS
Keeping Energy Next to
Água Serrana
Água Serrana is a company dedicated to the extraction and bottling of natural mineral water in Portugal. With a strategic focus on the energy transition, the company aligns its industrial activity with a more sustainable and efficient model, without compromising the quality of its product or the values that have always guided its work.
648.8
kWp
installed capacity
1,160
panels
780
MWh
annual production
378
tons
CO2 avoided
5
batteries
1
MWh
total storage capacity
The challenges
Battery licensing: the absence of a formal digital licensing process for this type of project in Portugal required specialized expertise to successfully manage the associated permitting requirements.
Definition of battery location: the initially approved location was reassessed to accommodate structural constraints and the client’s future expansion plans, ensuring the long-term viability and performance of the project.
The results
Operational adaptation on site: despite the setbacks on the site’s location, the installation went smoothly and without significant impact on the project’s progress.
Proactive approach to the regulatory framework: the project progressed through direct and coordinated communication with the respective agencies, ensuring the assessment and allocation of network connection conditions
”This project represents an important milestone in Água Serrana's journey towards increasingly efficient and environmentally responsible operations. We work with an essential resource, water, and we are fully aware of the importance of doing so with the least possible impact. This initiative is part of a cross-cutting decarbonization strategy, which includes a focus on renewable energies, low-carbon technologies, and circular economy practices, in order to transform our production processes to respond to environmental challenges in a concrete and responsible way.
Gonçalo CoutoAdministrator of Água Serrana
Ascendi
Ascendi is a leading mobility infrastructure company dedicated to the operation, maintenance, and management of road networks. Sustainability is a core pillar of its strategy, with a strong focus on reducing environmental impact, promoting efficient resource management, supporting biodiversity conservation, and enhancing climate resilience across its infrastructure operations.
298
kWp
installed capacity
368
MWh
annual production
96.7
kWh
battery storage capacity
112
tons
CO2 avoided annually
The solutions
Energy sharing model
Solar Installation Expansion
Batteries
The results
The Ascendi Operations Center, located in Maia, became home to the first Energy Community in Portugal to integrate battery storage. The solution enables surplus solar energy to be shared across more than 10 Ascendi delivery points while storing excess generation for use when solar production is insufficient.
The project combines a 298 kWp solar installation with a 96.7 kWh battery storage system, increasing energy self-consumption, improving energy independence, and reducing CO₂ emissions.
”Being part of this community aligns with the Group's mission, reinforcing our commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of our activities and contributing to a more sustainable path through innovation. Simultaneously, we believe that the progressive use of green energy contributes decisively to accelerating the energy transition.
Bernardo SerafimExecutive Administrator of Ascendi
Molinos AFAU
Molinos AFAU, a Spanish company, specializes in the design, manufacture and supply of machinery and industrial plants focused on the crushing, drying, grinding and densification processes of fibrous and solid materials.
706
kWp
installed capacity
1.3
MWh
BESS capacity
800
kW
BESS power
The challenges
The complexity of an HBS system: one of the main challenges is the advanced system control, as the HBS must decide at every moment when to charge or discharge the battery, how to interact with the electrical grid, and how to optimize the use of available energy based on variables such as price, demand, and renewable energy production. This requires highly precise energy management algorithms and constant communication between all system components
The results
Molinos AFAU implemented a hybrid solar photovoltaic energy solution for generation, battery storage with an HBS system for energy accumulation, all through a PPA model.
The company will be able to face new growth phases and expand its production capacity.
”For us, this project represents an important step in our commitment to energy efficiency and the modernization of our facilities to continue expanding. Likewise, we are improving the stability of our supply and strengthening the competitiveness of our industrial activity with a more sustainable production model, prepared for the energy challenges of the future and positioning ourselves at the forefront of our sector.
Cristian RemartínezFactory Manager at Molinos Afau Malanquilla
Comansa
Comansa is a Spanish company specialized in the design, manufacture, and sale of tower cranes for the construction industry. It is one of the world’s leading manufacturers in the sector, offering solutions for building, infrastructure, and industrial projects, relying on advanced engineering, high-quality equipment, and comprehensive technical support.
1.200
kWp
installed capacity
1.044
kWh
BESS capacity
300
kW
BESS power
The challenges
Battery optimization and integration into existing photovoltaic system: he expansion of the existing photovoltaic installation in Comansa posed an additional integration challenge, as it was necessary to adapt the new battery to a previously operational infrastructure, ensuring its correct coordination with the system already in operation and guaranteeing at all times the stability and continuity of the plant without affecting its normal operation.
The results
Comansa is now leveraging its energy storage facility to reduce costs and lower contracted power
This solution improves energy efficiency and allows for increased profitability through smarter energy management
”Our commitment to expanding and incorporating this smart solar storage system into our company is a firm commitment to taking a step towards the future, and we are very pleased to have chosen Greenvolt Next as our strategic partner to lead this major project.
José María SilvaDirector of Operational Excellence at Comansa
Sam Mills
Sam Mills is one of Europe’s leading gluten-free pasta manufacturers and a major player in the Romanian food processing industry. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Satu Mare, the company exports its products to more than 40 countries worldwide. Sam Mills partners with Greenvolt Next Romania to develop their renewable energy strategy and meet their decarbonization goals.
2.1
MWp
installed capacity
3.660
solar panels
699
tons
CO2 avoided
2,588
MWh
annual production
10
MWh
battery storage
The challenges
Implementation process without disrupting the food manufacturer that operates 24/7 in three shifts
Having a solution that would support the energy demand during nighttime hours
The results
This project operates through a PPA contract, which does not require any initial investment from the client and provides access to renewable energy at a stable price
The tailored solution which added a Storage System to the PV plant allows the company to store excess solar energy and use it during nighttime operations, increasing energy independence and improving cost predictability
Support Sam Mill’s sustainability goals
”Green energy and cost predictability are essential, especially in the current geopolitical context and in an increasingly volatile energy market, as they provide greater stability and better control over costs. The integration of storage systems plays an important role in optimizing energy consumption, particularly as our operations run in three shifts, helping cover part of our energy demand during nighttime hours. I believe the future is not only about producing energy, but also about managing it more intelligently.
Cristian BabiciuCEO of Sam Mills
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