Shanghai, 26th March 2015 – Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) is to install rooftop solar capacity in excess of 200 mega-watts (MW) across eight of its mill companies in China, enough to power more than 500,000 homes[1]. APP is announcing an additional 129.5 mega-watts of capacity to build on 70.5 installed during the previous year. It is anticipated to be the largest solar project within the pulp & paper industry, and amongst the largest rooftop solar project anywhere in the world.
The solar project will result in the installation of approximately four million square meters of solar panels, the equivalent of 560 football pitches. The panels will be installed at APP operations at Gold East, Gold Hongye, Gold Huasheng, Hainan Jinhai, Yalong, Ningbo Zhonghua, Ningbo Asia and Guangxi Jingui mills in China.
The project is being developed by a consortium of Chinese solar manufacturers in a project led by APP. It forms part of a wider Chinese Government strategy to increase distributed solar power capacity. Power generated by the project will be supplied into the national power grid to benefit local users. APP in turn will receive discounted electricity from the national grid.
The project will build on the experience APP has developed as a result of a number of pilot projects completed during 2014. These include:
- A project with an installed capacity of 30.5MW at Hainan Jinhai Pulp and Paper became operational in March 2014, thereby becoming China’s largest existing rooftop solar installation
- A 20MW rooftop solar project was recently completed at Gold HongYe Mill in Suzhou
- Gold East Paper, located in Zhenjiang, also launched a 20MW rooftop solar project which is expected to be completed during Q1 2015.
“This project means APP will benefit from efficiency savings, while also making an important contribution to the local communities around our mills through the generation of clean and renewable power. It is a great example of how sustainability can have a positive effect on planet and people as well as profit. It also supports the Chinese Government’s commitment to increase the proportion of renewable energy in China to 20 per cent by 2030” said Bingjian Sun, Communications General Manager for APP-China.
“As one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies, we recognise the important role we must play in helping reduce global emissions. Whether through facilitating the growth of renewable energy in China, reducing emissions from peatlands in Indonesia or cutting energy usage in our operations globally, we know we can have a significant impact.”
“As climate talks have progressed over the years, it has become clear that the private sector has a leading role to play in bringing about lasting change. Setting targets and making commitments can only go so far. It is real action on the ground that counts.”
All 200MW of capacity is expected to be installed within the next three to five years. China is the world’s largest investor in renewable energy, investing more than $89.5 billion in 2014 according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. In solar power alone, the Chinese Government is committed to the annual development of a minimum of 10GW of capacity between 2013 and 2015.
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About Asia Pulp & Paper
Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) is a trade name for a group of pulp and paper manufacturing companies in Indonesia and China. APP is responsible for delivering quality products to meet the growing global demand for tissue, packaging and paper. On any given day, our products find their way into the hands of consumers in various branded forms from all over the world.
Started in 1972 with Tjiwi Kimia producing caustic soda, now we run operations across Indonesia and China with an annual combined pulp, paper, packaging product and converting capacity of over 19 million tons per annum. Today, APP markets its products in more than 120 countries across six continents.
Over the years, we have expanded our operations significantly through the acquisition and expansion of several of our pulp and paper mills. It’s our commitment to customer satisfaction that enables us to grow our share in paper sales worldwide and broaden our presence through offices in many countries. We believe ‘tradition and modernity go hand in hand’ which means we value long term relationships as part of our Eastern traditions, while we also are eager to embrace the modern values of innovation and efficiency.
Maintaining the integrity of our supply chain is also crucial to APP’s operations as well as our commitment to our Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020. Learn more about APP’s path to operational excellence by reading our Sustainability Reports and Forest Conservation Policy.
[1] Power calculated assuming 30% load factor and average Chinese household energy demand of 1MWh per annum - http://www.nea.gov.cn/2014-12/15/c_133856492.htm
