NBC expands investment to transit to renewable energy sources
The Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (NBC) is expanding investment in a renewed commitment to transit to renewable energy sources as a way of accelerating the delivery of its net zero commitment.
Speaking during a guided tour of the Company’s plant in Lagos, Mathieu Segun, Managing Director of the NBC, said the company which is part of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company group (CCHBC) has an uncompromising commitment to minimize its environmental footprint whilst enriching the communities where it operates.
Segun, stated that in line with this, the CCHBC has instigated a set of sustainability commitments ahead of 2025 that addresses six major areas including the reduction of emissions, water use and stewardship, working towards a world without waste, ingredients sourcing, nutrition, people, and communities.
Advancing towards these commitments, he said the NBC has mainstreamed sustainability into every aspect of its operations, adding that one of the major challenges facing sustainable manufacturing are Carbon emissions from non renewable energy sources.
He added that the NBC has eight manufacturing plants spread across the nation including Ikeja plant which is the biggest Coca-Cola manufacturing facility in Africa. “You would have observed that it’s a huge construction site as we are making significant investments to make it one of the best in the world.
“We have taken this challenge of climate change heads-on and over the years, have been investing in solutions which have enabled us to make significant advancements in our focus areas of energy use reduction, water use reduction, emissions reduction, and waste generation reduction today, we would like to share with you, some of the results of these investments in the area of emissions reductions, especially as it relates to renewable energy sources.” Segun said.
The company he said commenced the process of evolving all of its manufacturing plants to be powered in part by renewable solar energy since 2020, and currently 50 per cent of its manufacturing plants are now powered in part by solar energy with the photovoltaic cells delivering up to 3,640-Kilowatt peak power output (KWp) to the facilities.
The hybrid power set up in these NBC plants allow them to substitute the national power grid and generator backups to the extent of available solar generated power, thereby reducing the consumption of power from less environmentally friendly sources, he disclosed.
The four manufacturing plants which have since gone live with this technology are located in Maiduguri, Abuja, Asejire in Oyo State and Challawa, Kano.
“Further installations will continue through this year 2022, to ensure even more sustainable growth across the NBC ecosystem.
“By the end of 2022, when the solar power installations would have been implemented in our 4 remaining manufacturing plants in Ikeja, Benin, Owerri and Port Harcourt; overall, we will be powering our manufacturing operations with up to 15,947 KWp from Solar Energy which is equivalent to the power required to power over 2,170 standard three-bedroom homes.” he added.
Speaking further he said the existing installations now translate to an annual carbon footprint reduction of over 3,600 tons, with the capacity for expansion in the future. He said, “Beyond the direct impact on reduced emissions, another indirect positive outcome of this project is that over 167,000 trees have been saved and through the evolution and the implementation; supported the creation of 300 jobs with an additional 480 jobs forecasted to be created in support of the system this year.”
