Energy and sustainability: Florim raises the bar

Celebrating 14 years of clean energy, the Italian ceramic group is investing in new photovoltaic systems and a revolutionary energy storage facility.

Florim has reached a new milestone in its sustainability strategy as it accelerates towards full energy independence. A Benefit Corporation and certified B Corp, the company has announced an investment of more than €3.5 million to expand its photovoltaic installations and introduce an innovative 5 MWh energy storage system capable of optimising energy flow management and increasing the operational autonomy of its production site in Fiorano Modenese (MO). The area covered by photovoltaic panels currently totals 127,000 square metres, with an annual production of 14,317 MWh. The new investment includes the installation of additional photovoltaic modules covering 48,000 square metres, which by December 2025 will bring the total surface area to 175,000 square metres and total annual production to 17,930 MWh.

One of the key features of the project is the construction of a latest-generation 5 MWh battery system designed to store surplus energy that is not used immediately. This solution will optimise energy flows and increase the plant’s self-sufficiency, further improving the overall efficiency of the production site.

“Despite today’s challenging context, Florim continues to invest with an eye to the future, focusing on people, the environment and the community,” says the company’s chairman Claudio Lucchese. “Sustainability is not a tactical choice for us, but a genuine commitment that we have communicated transparently for more than 17 years through our Sustainability Report. This new project marks another step forward in a coherent, long-term programme that transforms sustainability into tangible and enduring industrial value.”

Since the first photovoltaic panels were installed in 2011, Florim has invested more than €77 million in environmental sustainability and energy efficiency at its Fiorano (MO) and Mordano (BO) facilities. The company has adopted a wide range of energy saving solutions, including heat recovery systems that reuse hot air from the kilns to power the dryers. Under optimal weather conditions, it already generates up to 100% of the electricity it needs and since 2021 any remaining requirement has been met exclusively through certified renewable sources.

Between 2012 and the end of 2026, Florim’s energy efficiency systems will have enabled the company to avoid the emission of more than 185,000 tonnes of CO₂, a result that underscores the robustness and coherence of its roadmap to climate neutrality.