Smurfit Kappa embraces green energy at Spanish paper mill

Smurfit Kappa is planning to reduce the environmental impact of its Sanguesa paper mill in Spain with the use of solar energy generated by an array adjacent to the facility.

With an investment of €6 million, 12,000 solar panels will be installed with the capability to generate more than 10 GWh of power year that will reduce the current external electricity consumption and dependency by 7 per cent. Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions at the mill will be cut by more than 3,200 tons a year, and provide significant cost savings.

The solar energy project is the latest for Smurfit Kappa which has launched similar initiatives in other plants in Spain, Colombia and Mexico to generate sustainable energy.

The mill at Sanguesa is one of Smurfit Kappa’s key facilities, producing light MG kraft paper, which is widely used across industrial and consumer markets in products such as grocery bags and wrapping paper. Commenting on the project, Reinhard Reiter, chief executive of Smurfit Kappa’s Virgin Fibre Cluster, said: “This investment to harness another renewable source of energy is testament