MaGeno-Solar eG is one of five cooperatives to be given a GenoAward. The winners, selected from 80 competitors from all over Germany, convinced a jury made up of seven experts of their respective projects. With the GenoAward (literally: “co-op award”), Genoverband e.V. and the F.A.Z. Institute honor cooperatives who master various social and economic challenges with their achievements and thus make an active contribution to Germany’s future viability.

Marco Schulz, deputy chairman of Genoverband e.V., praised the work of KHS’ employees in his speech. “MaGeno-Solar shows just how much strength a workforce can develop when you place your trust in them. Here, they’ve created a win/win/win situation – for the company, its staff and the protection of the climate – and clearly demonstrated how responsibility can be actively assumed.” The winners of the GenoAward, presented for the first time this year, each received a certificate and €2,500 in prize money.

System with multiple benefits

MaGeno-Solar projects are distinguished by their economy, sustainability and measurable success: here, KHS personnel – whether still working or retired – invest in photovoltaic systems that they have installed on the roofs of the company’s production shops. KHS leases these for a fixed annual fee and uses the green electricity they generate. This holds not one but two benefits for the Dortmund systems supplier: it procures regenerative energy for its own production setups below the usual market price and at the same cuts the carbon emissions generated by its operations.

KHS personnel support climate protection

For its part, the cooperative refinances its investment with KHS’ regular leasing payments and can then distribute the profits to its members in the form of dividends. “We want to do something for the protection of the climate ourselves and help our employer to overcome various bureaucratic hurdles,” says Bernd Molitor, chairman of MaGeno-Solar eG. The former KHS employee traveled to Frankfurt to accept the prize. “We’re making a particularly large contribution, as photovoltaic panels on rooftops don’t take up any new space. The load is also taken off local and cross-regional electricity grids, as most of the electricity generated is used directly in the building.”

MaGeno-Solar eG currently numbers around 200 members. Thanks to cooperative investments of €700,000, to date two solar systems have already been commissioned at the KHS factories in Dortmund and Bad Kreuznach. A third is scheduled to be hooked up to the network in Worms by the end of 2025.