Sealed Air (SEE) has invested $9 million in a solar farm that is now powering its Madera, Calif., manufacturing facility. The solar panels, which sit on 11 acres of company-owned land adjacent to the facility, are expected to help reduce energy spend at this site by $1 million annually.
The 265,000 square foot plant, which manufactures Bubble Wrap brand original cushioning, Sealed Air brand Korrvu retention and suspension packaging, mailers, and other solutions, will have 98% of its electricity powered by the solar field.
“The installation of these solar panels contributes to SEE’s overarching sustainability strategy and advances our transition to net-zero carbon emissions in our operations by 2040. Through these solar panels, we are advancing our use of renewable energy, lessening the energy intensity of operations and reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions,” says Emile Chammas, SEE’s COO. “We are on a journey to leave our world better than we find it and the completion of this project is an important milestone in the strategic investments we’re making to achieve that goal.”
SEE partnered with TotalEnergies (which recently acquired SunPower Commercial and Industrial Solutions) to design and install the 3.5 MW ground mount solar project, which includes 8,975 solar panels, along with a 770 kW/3,080 kWh battery storage system.
“TotalEnergies is proud to be SEE’s energy transformation partner as they invest to achieve ambitious sustainability targets,” states Eric Potts, vice president of TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA. “Renewable energy is a business priority for both of our companies, so we are thrilled that this project will deliver long-term benefits to SEE’s Madera facility while advancing global progress toward carbon neutrality.”
