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AkzoNobel powering ahead with solar projects in China to accelerate sustainability ambitions
June 8, 2021
(AKZA; AKZOY)
Two major projects to install around 8,000 solar panels are being finalized by AkzoNobel in China, helping the company to accelerate its ambition of cutting carbon emissions in half by 2030.
Being installed at two Decorative Paints plants – more than 5,000 at the Shanghai site and almost 3,000 in Guangzhou – it represents further progress for the company’s greener manufacturing plans.
“Increasing the amount of renewable energy we use is a key part of our People. Planet. Paint. approach to doing business more sustainably,” explains Wijnand Bruinsma, AkzoNobel’s Program Manager for Sustainability. “The new installations will make an important contribution to our ongoing sustainability achievements in China and will help drive us towards our overall goal of moving to 100% renewable electricity by 2030.”
The new solar systems will become the primary source of power at each location. Now almost fully completed, they’ll generate around 1.66 million KWh in Shanghai and 1 million KWh in Guangzhou.
The Guangzhou site has now almost 3, 000 solar panels installed
“We’re excited to see these two projects successfully come to life,” continues Mark Kwok, Director of AkzoNobel’s Decorative Paints business in China/North Asia. “Sustainability is at the core of everything we do, whether that means improving the eco-footprint of our sites or addressing the environmental needs of our local customers and communities at large.”
Kwok adds that plans are also in place to install more solar panels at the company’s Decorative Paints facilities in Changzhou, Langfang and Chengdu. “By installing additional panels at our sites in China, we’ll be able to reduce our energy consumption throughout the entire manufacturing process,” he says.
At the end of 2020, AkzoNobel’s total share of renewable electricity use was 40%, with 34 locations and 12 countries already using 100% renewable electricity.
About AkzoNobel
We’ve been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there’s a good chance you’re only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries.
