// Ontex Spain
Ontex inaugurates one of the largest solar power projects for on-site electricity consumption in Spain.
// Rooftop solar power at Ontex Segovia contributes to company’s goal of carbon neutral operations by 2030.
// One of the largest industrial auto-consumption rooftop systems in Spain and largest in the Castilla y León region.
// Ontex’s factories in Spain and eight other European countries run on 100% electricity from renewable sources.
// The new solar installation, operated by Menapy, will produce 3.900 MWh of green power per year, equivalent to the average consumption of 1,000 households.
On December 15 2020, Ontex inaugurated a large solar rooftop at its factory in Valverde de Majano, in the province of Segovia, Spain.
Annick De Poorter, Ontex’s Vice President for R&D, Quality and Sustainability, said: “We can now produce a large part of the electricity we need to manufacture essential hygiene goods. This is another step toward our goal to have carbon neutral operations by 2030. We will reach this goal through on-site renewable energy production, energy savings, purchasing energy from renewable sources, and carbon offsets via reforestation projects. Since 2017, all of Ontex’s European factories in nine countries run 100 percent on electricity from renewable sources, combining on-site production and purchasing of renewable electricity via Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC’s). Seventy percent of Ontex manufacturing plants on five continents run on electricity from renewable sources.”
Tom Pollyn, Menapy’s Managing Partner, said: ”This project marks an important milestone for Menapy in the Iberian market. It crystallizes our long-term experience in industrial rooftop solar projects in Belgium and it confirms that our ‘Solar as a Service’ can bring important added value to high-consuming industries in Spain. Ontex has clear and ambitious goals in sustainability and saving on energy costs, and with this project we help them achieve both, without the investment.”
Ontex Segovia plant manager José Ignacio Luengo said: “Our rooftop solar panels cover more than 20 percent of the Segovia plant’s electricity demand, and they offset 1,500 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of 23,000 trees, over a 30-year period.”
“It is one of the top five industrial auto-consumption solar rooftop systems in Spain and the largest in Spain’s Castilla y León region.”
The new solar installation was developed and financed by Menapy and will produce 3.9 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the yearly consumption of about 1,000 households. It is one of the top five industrial auto-consumption solar rooftop systems in Spain and the largest in Spain’s Castilla y León region.
The Segovia project follows Ontex’s successful solar rooftop development with Menapy in Eeklo, Belgium and the company is looking at more opportunities.
For the construction of this solar rooftop system, Menapy had to take into consideration the exceptional challenges posed by the climate of the Segovia region, with very high temperatures in summer and snow during the winter months.