In Italian factory, Ontex installs one of the largest solar energy systems in the country

Ontex, a leading international provider of personal care products, announced that it has activated a large solar installation at its Ortona factory, Abruzzo region, Italy. As a result, it will produce more than 10 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the annual consumption of around 3,400 households, leading the factory to house one of the largest systems in Italy for the generation and consumption of solar energy.

The company is opening solar energy facilities in Europe and the Americas to produce more energy on-site and achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2030. Its factories in Italy and eight other European countries run on 100% electricity from renewable sources – today, this number totals 91% in the Ontex Group.

In times of energy constraints, the company plans to become carbon neutral and less dependent on energy from the grid through on-site renewable energy generation, energy conservation, purchase of energy from renewable sources, and carbon offsets for the remaining carbon emissions.

“We can now produce around a quarter of the electricity we need to manufacture essential hygiene goods at our factory in Italy. This is another step towards our goal to have carbon neutral operations by 2030,” said Annick De Poorter, Executive Vice President for R&D and Sustainability at Ontex.

Construction of the solar power installation at the Italian plant took nine months. Since 2017, all Ontex’s European factories run on electricity from renewable sources, combining their own solar generation with the purchase of renewable electricity via Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC’s). More rooftop solar capacity is being installed at Ontex plants in Eeklo, Belgium, Puebla, Mexico and Segovia, Spain.