Market News

Unilever to slash energy cost with new solar plant

TEA

Workers pick tea at Unilever tea estate in Kericho County on September 27, 2016. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Private tea farm operator and processor Unilever Tea Kenya expects to make significant energy cost savings after a 619 kWp solar plant was loaned to them and installed by CrossBoundary Energy.

The company will pay-to-own the plant based on its monthly energy costs for the next 15 years with CrossBoundary Energy handling maintenance, monitoring and insurance as well as future plant upgrades.

The processor’s managing director Sylvia Ten Den described the new investment as a sustainable and cost-free model of cutting costs while cleaning the environment.

“Installation of solar power at our Kericho operations delivers on our commitment to reduce our environmental footprint. By reducing the use of energy, raw materials and natural resources, we create efficiencies and cut costs, while becoming less exposed to price volatility. Besides being more cost-efficient this will save 10,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over 15 years,” she said.

The new investment complements Unilever’s hydroelectric and biomass resources raising its internal capacity of clean energy generation to 90 percent.

CrossBoundary’s Head of Business Development Femi Fadugba said cheaper energy meant unilever will enjoy a competitive edge in the global market.