Unilever Sri Lanka recently inaugurated a new 2.33 MW solar power project at its Horana factory, partnering with Abans Electricals PLC for project execution with a total investment of 1.3 million Euros.
Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera while congratulating the Unilever Sri Lanka team for initiating this rooftop solar mechanism in the Horana manufacturing facility said this will help with the factory’s power generation as well as contribute towards national targets of renewable energy.
“I’m glad that 2.33 Mw rooftop solar will contribute to about 1.5% of our own target for this year on rooftop solar facilities. With the targets that the government set for 70% renewable energy carbon neutrality by 2050, there needs to be more private participation in the industry.” “Climate change is a real challenge and it has been witnessed in Sri Lanka more than ever, so we need to move away from traditional hydropower generation to solar, wind, biomass, and new initiatives with battery storage facilities so that we can sustain energy requirements,” the Minister said.
The project aligns with Unilever’s Global Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP) and contributes to the ambitious goals set by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Electricity and Energy for transitioning the country’s electricity supply to renewable sources by 2030.Ali Tariq, Chairman and CEO, Unilever Sri Lanka said “We are proud to inaugurate this solar power project, yet another investment to protect our environment through sustainable practices. It is not just about manufacturing quality products and brands. We also ensure that we act as responsible corporate citizens in everything we do, aligning with our global vision of making sustainable living commonplace. The investment will produce 30%-35% of our Horana factory’s energy requirement.
The project is expected to reduce Unilever’s carbon footprint by curbing carbon emissions by a remarkable 2,090 metric tons per annum, which is equivalent to the environmental impact of planting over 48,000 trees. Unilever actively contributes to the Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP), which outlines a comprehensive strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the entire business and value chain, as part of this strategy Unilever Sri Lanka will increase total solar generation in its network to 4MWs in 2024.
