Solar Power Plant opened at BAT Factory in Vranje PHOTO

This is because the company has completed one of its most significant and largest infrastructure projects—the installation and commissioning of a modern solar power plant at its factory in Vranje.

The investment is a strong demonstration of BAT Group’s commitment to achieving its global ESG goals, with a clear focus on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing energy independence.

The scale of the project is best illustrated by its technical specifications: 1,806 solar panels with a total capacity of 1 MWp have been installed across a rooftop area of 4,515 square meters. Thanks to the facility, the factory has acquired prosumer status, becoming both a consumer and producer of electricity, and will cover around 30 percent of its annual electricity needs through its own renewable energy production.

Any surplus electricity generated will be fed into the national grid, allowing BAT to make a significant contribution to the green transition of the wider community. The move is fully aligned with the BAT Group’s strategy of sourcing more than 50 percent of the energy used in its operations from low-carbon sources by 2030.

Speaking about the significance of the solar plant’s opening, Katalin Dragut, director of the BAT factory in Vranje, said the project marks a new chapter in transforming the Vranje facility into a more sustainable production plant, ready to meet future challenges.

Stefan Stojanović

“By investing in renewable energy generated directly on-site, we are turning our commitment to sustainability into concrete action while simultaneously strengthening the long-term competitiveness of our factory. As one of the first large-scale industrial projects of this kind in the region, we hope to inspire others to accelerate the implementation of their own sustainable solutions and demonstrate how industry can play a significant role in building a greener future for local communities,” Dragut said, expressing his gratitude to the partners and local authorities whose support and cooperation made this important step possible.

“The investment in the solar power plant at the British American Tobacco factory in Vranje is also, for us, a confirmation of the long-term partnership that BAT has been building with our city. When a company invests in the modernization and sustainability of its factory, it strengthens not only its own competitiveness but also the stability and prospects of the local economy. It is particularly important that this partnership extends beyond a purely business relationship,” said Vranje Mayor Dr. Slobodan Milenković.

He noted that BAT has been part of Vranje’s economic and social life for 23 years and has repeatedly demonstrated during that period that it understands the needs of the community in which it operates.

“From donating IT equipment to the City to numerous other projects, including the recent donation of 140 plane trees, BAT has shown that it wants to link its success with the development of the community in which it operates. This investment in the solar power plant further confirms that we are on the same path when it comes to sustainable development.

The City of Vranje is also investing in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, both in public buildings and through direct support for households. For the fifth consecutive year, we have been subsidizing energy-efficiency renovation measures for family homes and apartments through public calls. Over the past four years, together with the Ministry of Mining and Energy, we have provided subsidies totaling 72 million dinars for around 350 households that applied for one of the energy-efficiency measures for family homes and apartments,” Dr. Milenković said.

Stefan Stojanović

Of these, the installation of solar power plants with a total capacity of 620 kW was subsidized at 71 properties.

“Solar power plants have been installed at four public facilities: the ‘Naše dete’ and ‘Boško Buha’ kindergartens, the City Administration building, and on the roof of the ‘Vuk Karadžić’ Primary School. The total installed capacity at public facilities is 165 kW.

The construction of a district heating pipeline and biomass-fired heating plants, through a public-private partnership, has enabled the introduction of renewable energy sources into the district heating system. In this way, in addition to state-of-the-art heating plants, efficient heating pipelines and upgraded substations, we have also ensured a more reliable supply of energy.

Our goal is to continue developing such partnerships. We want BAT to continue investing in Vranje, expanding and modernizing its operations, while the City will remain a reliable partner to all companies that want to invest, create new opportunities and give back a portion of their success to the community. Because when we have a strong economy, responsible companies and a local government that works with them in the interest of the city, our citizens are the ones who benefit most directly,” Dr. Milenković said.

BAT is strongly committed to the development of the local community in which it operates, as demonstrated by numerous projects and activities the company has carried out in various fields. Particular attention is given to projects focused on environmental protection and preservation.

The latest such initiative took place last weekend in cooperation with the ‘Železničar 2006’ Mountaineering Club from Vranje, when company employees took part in a cleanup of one of the best-known and most beautiful hiking and mountaineering trails in the Vranje area, the 12.4-kilometer route Beli Most – Kazandžol – Mala Reka – Mirkov Kladenc.

BAT will continue to contribute to sustainable development while pursuing the goals of the global sustainable development agenda. As a result, the Vranje factory is now recognized as one of the most successful facilities within the BAT Group.