Kimberly-Clark invests in clean energy for Cape Town facility

SOUTH AFRICA – Kimberly-Clark, a prominent manufacturer of personal care and hygiene products, has entered a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Energy Partners (EP), an energy company, to install a 2.2 MW rooftop solar photovoltaic system at its Epping facility in Cape Town.

Upon completion, the system is anticipated to generate 3,478 MWh of energy annually, effectively curtailing carbon dioxide emissions by over 3,130 tonnes per year.

Kimberly-Clark’s collaboration with EP, in tandem with its local and international engineers and project managers, ensured meticulous adherence to regulatory and design stipulations throughout the system’s development.

Construction, incorporating 4,000 solar panels, is slated to commence imminently, with the system projected to commence clean energy production this year.

Charl du Plessis, EP Power’s General Manager, affirms, “The implementation of these rooftop solar photovoltaic systems not only enhances Kimberly-Clark’s ability to manage electricity consumption but also significantly amplifies its renewable energy capacity, aligning with its trajectory towards achieving its 2030 sustainability objectives.”

Steven Hayes, Kimberly-Clark’s General Manager for sub-Saharan Africa, underscores the company’s steadfast commitment to environmental stewardship, emphasizing how this initiative will contribute to its goal of halving total emissions by 2030 compared to 2015 levels.

“The installation of this rooftop solar photovoltaic system, coupled with our collaboration with EP, represents a significant stride towards realizing our renewable energy targets,” Hayes adds, expressing pride in contributing to a more sustainable future for South Africa.

This endeavor mirrors a comparable initiative undertaken by Kimberly-Clark Softex last June, wherein nearly 5,000 photovoltaic (PV) modules were installed atop its flagship manufacturing facility in Karawang, West Java, Indonesia.

This installation is poised to curtail the facility’s indirect carbon emissions by approximately 3,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to removing 600 fossil fuel-driven cars from the roads.

Moreover, this initiative aligns with the government’s Million Solar Panel Roofs National Movement, which aims to generate 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy by 2025.

Kimberly-Clark Softex executed the solar panel installation in collaboration with TotalEnergies ENEOS, with operations commencing in December 2023 following the commencement of installation in May 2023.

TotalEnergies ENEOS is also expanding cooperation with Kimberly-Clark beyond Indonesia by signing long-term agreements to install additional approximately 5 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to its other manufacturing facilities in Southeast Asia.

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