HACO Industries Kenya Limited has today announced that part of the operations at its facility will now be powered by solar PV technology, in a move to help cut energy costs and save the environment.
The 240 KW solar PV system will replace approximately 40 percent of the facility’s grid consumption, helping reduce costs and lower its environmental footprint. The system is expected to generate over 8,200,000 kWh during the system life.
Haco Industries MD, Mary-Ann Musangi, during the unveiling of the solar project today said that the company was keen on driving the sustainability agenda, and the solar PV system is now able to generate renewable energy that is sustainable and affordable.
She maintained that the solar project adopted the highest safety standards to enable robust post implementation cleaning and maintenance access.
“This is the first phase which has enabled a hybrid system that uses solar during the day for the Plastics Factory and grid power during the night shift,” she said adding that the next phase will entail an enhancement in solar reliability either by powering the second factory that is the Cosmetics Factory with solar or extending the use of solar during the night shift for the Plastics Factory by investing in power storage solutions.
The overall outlook, Musangi noted will be able to drive responsible consumption and production in line with the UN’s Sustainability Development Goal number 12, which is a key driving factor for the Haco Sustainability Agenda.
“In the long run, the net outcome of solar adoption will be to drive down CO2 emissions considerably,” the MD said.
The solar PV system was engineered, designed, supplied, installed, tested, and commissioned by Premier Solar Solutions and financed under an operating lease provided by Solarise Africa.
Solarise Africa CEO and Chief Commercial Officer, Sakkie van Wijk said they were excited to be a part of Haco Industries’ transition to renewable energy.
“We all have a part to play, and by adopting solar energy Haco will not only save energy costs – around 54 percent throughout the lifecycle of the plant but also significantly reduce its carbon footprint,” Wijk said.
Premier Solar Solutions, the Kenyan subsidiary of Starsight Premier Energy Group, will be the ones to provide Operations & Maintenance services for the solar PV system going forward and according to the Group Chairman and CEO, Rupesh Hindocha, they are confident the system will deliver the expected benefits, both financial and environmental.
“We look forward to continuing our engagement with Haco and the broader group as they continue to focus on the provision of clean energy to power their operations both now and in the future,” Hindocha added
HACO Industries is a Kenyan Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company that develops/innovates and manufactures high-quality brands in the Personal Care, Hair Care, and Home Care categories.
Solarise Africa has successfully delivered just under 5MW of solar plants in Kenya, with another 2MW to go live before the end of the year.
According to the premier solar solutions, by the end of 2021, the company will have delivered 18 projects in Kenya, totaling over 12 MW, with a pipeline of a further 20 MW in Kenya to be delivered in 2022.
Kenya as a country has pledged to cut its carbon emissions 30 percent below business-as-usual levels by 2030.
By Wangari Ndirangu
