Climatic warning, the melting of the polar ice caps, storms and floods; the topic of renewable energies is increasingly the focus of attention by the general public after the most recent report by the UN experts. Our environment is in danger.

The Lapp Group has therefore been working for many years now on the topic of renewable energies. Lapp offers a specially matched range of cables for the generation of wind and solar energy, and for use with biofuels. Chairman of the board Andreas Lapp gave his view: "The field of renewable energies is not just an absolute boom market for us but also an obligation to commit ourselves to protection of the climate and of our environment." Thus for some time now the Lapp Group has on the roof of its logistics centre 1 in Stuttgart, Germany a huge solar unit with a generation capacity of 168 kWph. The saving in terms of CO2 is around 95,000 kg per year. Heat recovery units have been installed in the cable production area saving considerable amounts of energy. All the products and packing materials of the Lapp Group are free of asbestos and CFCs.

Wind energy

As of today Lapp is one of the leading supplier’s worldwide for builders of wind energy units. As a result of the thermal and mechanical requirements for the units that are up to 100 metres high and 14 tons in weight, the energy and the measuring, data and control cables must be especially tough and able to withstand extreme pulling and twisting loads. With this in mind Lapp have introduced the Olflex® H07BN4-F torsion resistant rubber single core cable. With an abrasion resistant outer sheath and temperature range of -35°C to + 90°C and a conductor that is specially designed to allow for torsion of ± 150°/m, makes this harmonised cable ideal for use in wind energy from the moving gondola to the bottom transformer.

ÖLFLEX^® CLASSIC 110 control cables are used for the cabling within the gondola, and the highly flexible ÖLFLEX^® FD CLASSIC PVC power chain cables for the transition to the gondola in the tower, and UNITRONIC^® data cables and EPIC^® industrial connectors for the installation of the machine house.

Solar plants

The cables within the LAPPTHERM^® SOLAR brand range have been a particular success. This is a total of four different product lines, LAPPTHERM^® SOLAR plus, LAPPTHERM^® SOLAR XL, LAPPTHERM^® SOLAR SR and LAPPTHERM^® SOLAR V4A, which offer perfect solutions for everything to do with solar panels and have been customised for the relevant special requirements for use at locations around the world. All the versions are extremely weather and UV-resistant. The new EPIC^® SOLAR connector with wings for quick installation rounds out the range of solar products from Lapp. There are solar units worldwide using products from Lapp: On the roof of a school in Singapore, in units for the supply of electricity in Africa, on sports halls in Bavaria and of course the Lapp solar unit on the roof of logistics building 1 in Stuttgart, Germany has been wired up with the company’s own products.

Bioethanol plants

The bioenergy market also got a massive impetus from the requirement to add bioethanol to the petrol sold at filling stations. The proportion of currently 1.2% in the petrol is to be increased in steps up to 5.75% by 2010. For example, Südzucker Bioethanol GmbH produces 260,000 cubic metres of bioethanol from 700,000 tons of wheat in Zeitz (Thuringia) and even offers its own fuel under the brand name CropPower85. Once again, Lapp products ensure trouble-free production of the units. ÖLFLEX^® CLASSIC 110 control cables and the halogen-free version ÖLFLEX^® CLASSIC 130 H are used for everything from shredders to tanks, and also for many other applications requiring special cables.