Smurfit Kappa Unveils Innovative Solar Panel System in Colombia

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Global packaging leader Smurfit Kappa announced that it has launched an innovative solar energy initiative at its Colombian Forestry Operation. The state-of-the-art Solar One photovoltaic system was developed in collaboration with renewable energy provider Celsia.

The new system is expected to generate nearly half of the energy requirements of the nursery and the entomology and plant pathology laboratories. It is comprised of 168 solar panels, which together generates around 78,000 kWh per year. This, in turn will lead to reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 29.7 tonnes per annum. The strategic location of the new system in the forestry nursery guarantees maximum exposure to the available sunlight.

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The nursery produces around 8 million pine and eucalyptus seedlings every year, which are planted in the company’s Andean region forestry plantations and also supplied to reforestation projects. The associated laboratories work on preventative programmes to identify and study potential forestry pests and diseases.

Alvaro Henao, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Colombia noted that the new partnership motivates the company to contribute towards building a sustainable future. The use of clean and renewable energy is in line with its strategic goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, he added.