Personal hygiene firm Ontex has activated a new solar installation at its factory in Ortona in the Abruzzo region, Italy, which will produce more than 10 GWh of electricity per year, or the equivalent of the yearly consumption of around 3,400 households.
The company is setting up solar power installations in its facilities in Europe and the Americas to produce more energy on-site and achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2030.
Its factories in Italy and eight other European countries run on 100% electricity from renewable sources, while 91% of the energy used across the group comes from renewable sources.
Annick De Poorter, Ontex’s executive vice-president for R&D and sustainability, said, “We can now produce around a quarter of the electricity we need to manufacture essential hygiene goods at our factory in Italy. This is another step towards our goal to have carbon-neutral operations by 2030."
The installation was developed and financed by Menapy Italia srl. The same company also installed Ontex’s solar panels in Eeklo, Belgium and Segovia, Spain.
Renewable Energy Sources
Federico Dotto, country manager at Menapy Italia srl, said, “We should shift our power supplies from oil, coal, and natural gas to wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources, which are a clear winner when it comes to boosting the economy.
"Companies across Europe are working hard to reduce their energy needs and improve their impact on the environment. As Menapy, we are proud to support Ontex in achieving their ambitious sustainability goals, which are also a sound business decision.”
Since 2017, all of Ontex’s European factories run on electricity from renewable sources, combining their solar generation with the purchase of renewable electricity via Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), the company noted.
The company is expanding its rooftop solar capacity at plants in Eeklo, Belgium, Puebla, Mexico and Segovia, Spain.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest supply chain news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
