Novelis Builds $2.4 Milion Solar Park, First From the Firm

Novelis Inc. recently revealed plans for the construction of its inaugural solar park at its production facility in Pieve Emanuele, Italy. Following the approval of local authorities, the expansive solar park spanning over 28,000 square meters will commence operation and begin generating electricity by the end of this year. Novelis Inc is a sustainable aluminium solutions and low-carbon aluminium solutions provider. It is well-known for aluminium rolling and recycling.

By investing $2.4 million in the solar park, Novelis aims to drive the decarbonization of its Pieve production site, holding that this will help reinforce its commitment to developing environmentally friendly, low-carbon aluminium solutions for the European market.

The solar park’s estimated annual production of approximately 4,000 MWh will facilitate a significant transition from carbon-intensive energy sources to renewable alternatives within the plant. Moreover, this transition will reduce the plant’s dependence on external energy sources. The solar park will be connected to the Italian national grid, allowing surplus energy generated outside of the plant’s operating hours to be utilized by neighbouring communities.

“Investing in renewable energy generation is crucial to decarbonizing our operations and meeting our sustainability goals,” said Emilio Braghi, Executive Vice President of Novelis Inc. and President of Novelis Europe. “Further increasing our capabilities to supply aluminium produced with a lower CO2 footprint will also enable us to help our customers reduce their scope 3 emissions and achieve their decarbonization goals.”

Located in the south of Milan, Novelis’ Pieve plant is an ideal location to build a solar park as it has a large unoccupied area with high sun exposure.

“In addition to the importance of the solar park for Novelis, the project is also an investment in increasing renewable energy generation in the Lombardi region,” said Laura Basile, Plant Manager at Novelis Pieve. “I am very proud that our team is part of a company that is leading the way in decarbonizing the aluminium industry while adding value to surrounding communities.”

Novelis is looking at slashing its carbon footprint by 30 per cent before 2026 and strives to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 or even earlier. In addition to prioritizing energy efficiency measures and recycling, Novelis is dedicated to identifying avenues for decarbonizing its operations through the adoption of renewable energy sources, it says.

Novelis, a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, is engaged in providing sustainable  supporting pushing forth the circular economy. The firm had net sales of $18.5 billion in fiscal year 2023.