Mondi invites bids for solar energy at Richards Bay facility

SOUTH AFRICA – Mondi, a leading manufacturer of paper products, is seeking proposals from independent power producers to design, build, own, and maintain solar PV power plants of up to 10 MW at its Richards Bay mill.

This initiative aligns with Mondi’s commitment to increasing its use of green energy. Companies with experience in developing, building, and operating embedded solar facilities are invited to apply at www.independentenergypool.com, where further documentation will be available from July 30.

Participants are urged to submit binding offers by August 23.

Mondi has been actively working to reduce the environmental impact of its Richards Bay plant, implementing measures to improve air quality, reduce water consumption, and minimize solid waste.

The facility also features a 13.2 MW biomass project, which has offset more than 18,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

The company has set ambitious targets to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 46.2% and Scope 3 emissions by 27.5% by 2030, compared to a 2019 baseline.

Mondi is also pioneering climate-friendly packaging solutions with a low environmental impact. For example, its Hug&Hold paper-based packaging solution significantly lowers impacts on climate change, fossil resource use, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, ionizing radiation, water use, and eutrophication of freshwater.

The Hug&Hold solution boasts a 43% lower carbon footprint than average LDPE virgin plastic shrink wrap and a 15% lower footprint than LDPE shrink wrap made from 100% recycled content.

“Mondi values independent critical reviews and a data-driven approach to help customers assess the environmental impact of their products,” said Silvia Hanzelova, Sales Director of Specialty Kraft Paper.

“The LCA on Hug&Hold plays a vital role in our customers’ decision-making process, ensuring we create sustainable solutions in line with our MAP2030 commitments.”

In May, Mondi published its 2023 Sustainability Development Report, highlighting significant progress in its sustainability initiatives.

The Path to Circularity Scorecard revealed that 85% of Mondi’s revenue for the year came from packaging products that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable.

In 2023, Mondi conducted impact assessments for 1,145 products and calculated the carbon footprints of 146 products.

The company has also made significant strides in waste reduction, cutting its total waste to landfills by approximately 50,600 tonnes and achieving a 44% reduction in specific waste in landfills since 2020.

Regarding greenhouse gas emissions, Mondi reported a 22% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to its 2019 baseline and a 4% reduction since the previous year.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE