Arla Foods has announced the construction of a new solar power plant in Poland that will generate 1,620 MWh of electricity per year.
According to the Danish-Swedish multinational cooperative, this will allow it to ensure business continuity in a region with regular power outages while also generating a green energy source in an otherwise high-carbon energy system.
The new solar power plant will fulfill around 85% of the site’s overall energy needs and will be capable of storing an extra 2.6 MWh in a battery.
Dropouts And Power Failures
The investment, according to Arla Foods, will also be able to partially power the facility at night.
For the 98 workers in the Polish repackaging facility of Arla Foods, interruptions in power and dropouts have often presented challenges.
Arla Foods pointed out that the Ukrainian conflict and the ensuing energy supply shortfall have only served to emphasize the need for a stronger, more long-lasting solution to an issue that was already a threat to company continuity.
Emission Reduction
The business went on to say that even if a more reliable electrical supply could be obtained from the Polish energy system, the amount of power traveling via the cables would not reduce carbon emissions.
The carbon component for the coal-based Polish electricity system, where Arla Foods has facilities, is 1.02 tonnes of CO2e per MW generated, which is much higher than in other European markets.
Arla asserts that by putting up its own solar power plant, it can cut emissions by 1,645 tonnes annually.
‘That Extra Mile’
“Arla Foods wants to be the industry leader in sustainable dairy. It also implies that we will go above and above and develop our own sustainable solution, which is precisely what we have done in Tychowo, according to David Boulanger, executive vice president and head of the supply chain.
Even if it isn’t one of our busiest sites in terms of energy use, Boulanger continued, “it demonstrates that we stand by our words when it comes to enhancing our operations and using 100% renewable electricity in Europe by the end of 2025.