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• Bekaert and Edison Next sign a twelve-year on-site solar power purchase agreement (PPA) at the Bekaert plant in Sardinia (Italy).
• This 6.1 MW solar installation marks another major milestone in Bekaert’s sustainability strategy, Creating a Better Tomorrow.
Bekaert, a global market and technology leader in material science of steel wire transformation and coating technologies, and Edison Next (edisonnext.it), the Edison Group company (edisongroup.com) that supports industrial customers and public administrations in the ecological transition and decarbonization, announce the signing of a 12-year on-site Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This PPA will see the installation of a photovoltaic system with a total power of 6.1 MW at the Bekaert plant in the province of Cagliari, Sardinia. The solar installation is capable of meeting more than 20% of the plant's current energy requirements.
The photovoltaic system at the Bekaert Sardinia plant will be completed and operative in 2025. Edison Next will finance, develop and manage the installation. Covering an area of about 23 000 square meters, this system will produce over 11.2 GWh a year and reduce annual emissions of about 3 000 tonnes of CO₂, the equivalent of the annual consumption of more than 4 000 households. Bekaert Sardinia expects to self-consume 93% of the renewable electricity generated.
“This state-of-the-art solar project at Bekaert’s Sardinia plant incorporates trackers that follow the path of the sun to optimize renewable energy production,” said Michael Hamilton, VP Procurement Commodities Category at Bekaert. “It will accelerate our sustainability ambitions as well as make us less dependent on energy price inflation. Since opening the solar plant in Burgos, Spain last year this marks a next milestone to achieve the goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 46.2% by 2030.”
“We are proud to be able to contribute to the sustainability goals of Bekaert, one of the Italian, European and global leaders in the steel sector,” said Marco Steardo, Industry Director of Edison Next. “The development of this large photovoltaic system in fact marks an important step in the decarbonisation path of Bekaert Sardinia and the Bekaert Group in general towards their ambition of net zero by 2050. Photovoltaic is a mature technology that, backed by the PPA formula, represents a primary fundamental element for energy transition by companies.”
About Bekaert
Bekaert’s ambition (bekaert.com) is to be the leading partner for shaping the way we live and move, and to always do this in a way that is safe, smart, and sustainable. As a global market and technology leader in material science of steel wire transformation and coating technologies, Bekaert also applies its expertise beyond steel to create new solutions with innovative materials and services for markets including new mobility, low-carbon construction, and green energy. Founded in 1880, with its headquarters in Belgium, Bekaert (Euronext Brussels, BEKB) is a global company whose 24 000 employees worldwide together generated € 5.3 billion in combined sales in 2023.
Bekaert sustainability strategy
From making a positive impact with its sustainable solutions and practices, to building a diverse and inclusive future, Bekaert is determined to improve life and create value for all stakeholders. Bekaert delivers on its sustainability strategy by developing and offering sustainable solutions, using materials and energy responsibly, conducting the highest business ethics standards, improving health and safety at the workplace, and engaging employees and business partners throughout the supply chain. By investing in renewable energy, Bekaert contributes to reaching emission reduction targets and accelerating the energy transition that is required to reduce the impacts of climate change.
Disclaimer
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Bekaert is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in light of new information, future events or otherwise. Bekaert disclaims any liability for statements made or published by third parties and does not undertake any obligation to correct inaccurate data, information, conclusions or opinions published by third parties in relation to this or any other press release issued by Bekaert.
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