Atlanta’s rolled aluminium firm Novelis said this week that it will begin construction of its first solar park at its aluminium casting and cold rolling plant in Pieve Emanuele, Italy.
The 6.9-acre solar park will represent a capital investment of US$2.4 million, which is part of its broader push to decarbonize and make sustainable its aluminium production processes on the European continent.
When finished, the plant will supply around 4,000 MWh each year, allowing the plant to convert the lion’s share of the energy it uses to sustainable sources. The solar park will be attached to the national grid, powering the surrounding communities in the Milan area when the plant is not in operation.
Emilio Braghi, Executive Vice President, Novelis Inc., and President, Novelis Europe, said in a press release that the solar plant benefits its customers as well.
“Investing in renewable energy generation is crucial to decarbonizing our operations and meeting our sustainability goals. Further increasing our capabilities to supply aluminium produced with a lower CO2 footprint will also enable us to help our customers reduce their scope 3 emissions and achieve their decarbonization goals.”
Laura Basile, Plant Manager at Novelis Pieve, said the solar plant offered broader benefits outside the plant.
“In addition to the importance of the solar park for Novelis, the project is also an investment in increasing renewable energy generation in the Lombardi region. I am very proud that our team is part of a company that is leading the way in decarbonizing the aluminium industry while adding value to surrounding communities.”
Novelis is a subsidiary of Mumbai’s Hindalco Industries Ltd. Based in Atlanta, the firm accounts for almost half of Hindalco’s consolidated revenue. The world’s largest recycler of aluminium, Novelis conducts operations in ten different countries, employs around eleven thousand people, and reported US$18.4 billion in net sales for the most recent fiscal year.
