The Ardagh Group, located in Luxembourg, is installing solar PV at a number of its packaging production facilities in Europe and the United Kingdom. The most recent is a 1.75 MW rooftop system set up at an Irvine, Scotland, glass packing plant.
Ardagh Group Installs PV Panels on Two of its Facilities
According to a report published by Ardagh group, the company partnered with Ireland’s ESB Energy to set up 3,842 panels on two warehouse rooftops, capable of generating 1,584 MWh annually. This will cover 25% of the electricity needed by the Ardagh Glass Packaging Europe (AGP-Europe) facility, with the remainder sourced from renewable energy.
Pat Fenlon, Executive Director of Customer Solutions at ESB Energy, stated that the successful implementation of the 1.75MWp solar array at Ardagh Irvine demonstrates their ongoing dedication to supporting sustainability and innovative initiatives for their clients. Through continuous monitoring and maintenance, they ensure peak performance, enabling Ardagh Irvine to concentrate on its primary goal of reducing carbon emissions.
“The installation of the 1.75 MWp solar array in Ardagh Irvine is a testament to our ongoing dedication to helping clients with innovative and sustainable projects,” stated Pat.
This initiative aligns with Ardagh Group's objective of utilizing 100% renewable energy by 2030 and builds upon recent solar installations at their production sites in the Netherlands. Ardagh Group intends to expand solar power implementation across its European facilities in the coming years to advance toward its 2030 goals.
Towards More Sustainability
AGP-Europe's Irvine plant director, Graeme Shepherd, highlighted that this solar project aligns with their sustainability goals and reduces grid reliance, demonstrating their commitment to decarbonizing production while maintaining high-quality standards.
“This solar installation is a significant step towards improving Irvine's operational sustainability and lowering its reliance on the grid for electricity. It demonstrates our dedication to decarbonising the glass containers we make while upholding the greatest standards of excellence and quality,” stated Graeme.
“Another accomplishment in our decarbonisation approach is the Irvine installation,” stated Annelene Ikemann, Sustainability Director, AGP-Europe. “It is one of three on-site sustainable solar projects developed by AGP-Europe that, when combined, are anticipated to replace more than 12,000 MWh of grid electricity use and prevent the release of around 5,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.”
The Company’s Largest PV Plant
In the Netherlands, Ardagh Group recently installed solar for similar purposes at its locations in Dongen, Moerdijk, and Oss. The company claims that more than 24,700 solar panels spread over three locations produce roughly 12,677 MWh annually.
The three plants were created by Rotterdam-based power provider Eneco and Amsterdam-based Zoncoalitie, an independent solar project adviser that was separated from a PV industry group in 2020.
With an annual production of 8,000 MWh, the largest of the three PV plants in the Netherlands is situated at the AGP-Europe glass facility in Dongen. The installation is a rooftop and ground mount setup, with the ground mount accounting for the majority of the installed capacity. Both the Moerdijk installation and Oss are rooftop plants that produce 1,897 MWh and 2,500 MWh annually, respectively.
The Ardagh Group is investing in solar PV systems as part of its plan to lower its carbon impact and use only renewable energy sources by 2030.