Wednesday 24 August 2022

Packaging firm Sealed Air invests $9m in solar energy

Packaging company Sealed Air (SEE) has invested a total of $9 million (£7.6m) in a solar farm that is now powering its Madera manufacturing facility in California.

The 3.5MW ground-mounted solar farm consists of 8,975 panels as well as a battery storage system and sits on 11 acres of land adjacent to the facility that manufactures BUBBLE WRAP® brand original cushioning, SEALED AIR® brand Korrvu® retention and suspension packaging, mailers and other solutions.

It provides around 98% of the manufacturing plant's power needs and is expected to help reduce its energy spend by $1 million (£0.85m) annually.

The solar project will also help avoid around 4,982 metric tons of carbon dioxide over the course of the first year and more than 72,000 metric tons over 15 years.

That's equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from more than 15,000 passenger vehicles a year.

Emile Chammas, SEE’s Chief Operating Officer said: “The installation of these solar panels contributes to SEE’s overarching sustainability strategy and advances our transition to net-zero carbon emissions in our operations by 2040. Through these solar panels, we are advancing our use of renewable energy, lessening the energy intensity of operations and reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are on a journey to leave our world better than we find it and the completion of this project is an important milestone in the strategic investments we’re making to achieve that goal.”