Nigeria’s foremost brewer, Nigerian Breweries Plc has delivered another first in the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy by pioneering solar powered manufacturing with the commissioning of a Solar Plant at the Ibadan Brewery.
The 663.6 kilowatts per peak (kWp) solar plant was formally commissioned on Thursday, May 20,2021 by the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde speaking during the official commissioning ceremony, Governor Makinde commended the management of Nigerian Breweries Plc for investing in a solar plant which he noted would promote environmental sustainability, stating that his administration would continue to play its part by creating an environment that supports businesses in the state to grow.
Makinde also lauded the commitment of the company towards achieving its very ambitious target of switching to 70% renewable energy usage by 2030 stating that the completion of the Ibadan Solar Power Plant has clearly demonstrated its determination to reach the goal.
“This is another first in Oyo State.When history will be written how NB Plc shifted from electricity to renewable energy, it would be said that Ibadan Plant was the first and as a government,we are very proud to be part of this story”, he added.
In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Chief (Dr) Kolawole Jamodu (CFR) extoled the governor for his efforts in positioning the state as an investment destination and creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive which had encouraged the company to site the pilot of its solar power project in Ibadan.
Jamodu expressed his delight at the project completion, describing it as a demonstration of NB’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Delivering his keynote speech, the Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel described the project as a first of its kind in the manufacturing sector as Nigerian Breweries is the first brewer in Nigeria to commission a solar power plant providing renewable, clean energy for manufacturing.
Bel disclosed that in addition to this solar plant in Ibadan, the company is already developing other renewable energy plants in its other breweries to ensure that 70% of electricity used in all of its breweries are powered from clean sources.
“We are not only interested in being Number 1 in Sales and profitability. We also want to be number 1 in environmental sustainability – ensuring that the communities where our breweries are located benefit from our operations in the best possible way” he said.
“Apart from developing renewable energies to ensure cleaner air, we are also investing heavily in ensuring cleaner water for our communities. As such, we have taken great pains to build a state of the art, waste water treatment plant in our breweries to ensure that we do not cause water pollution. All wastewater produced from the brewery are properly treated and monitored in line with regulatory requirements before they are discharged, making them safe and not harmful to acquatic life and the environment in general”, he added.
He disclosed that the plant which was built at the cost of over N300 million, is part of NB Plc’s Brew A Better World sustainability agenda, which is aimed at meeting the company’s carbon neutrality targets through increased energy efficiency in its production.
He further revealed that the solar plant was built through a fully financed solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) executed with Crossboundary Energy Limited. It is expected to supply approximately 800 MWh to the brewery annually, providing a significant reduction to the current cost of power, while also reducing the plant’s CO2 emissions by over 10,000 tonnes over the lifespan of the plant.
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