Sidel’s PV system in operation in Italy

The large photovoltaic system built by packaging machinery firm Sidel at its Parma plant in Italy has become fully operational, enabling the site to satisfy 40% of its electricity needs and cut its CO2 emissions by 871 tonnes/year, equal to the amount absorbed by 43,500 trees. It is one of the largest corporate photovoltaic systems in Emilia-Romagna, which, thanks to its 5,000 solar panels, is able to produce 2,900 MWh of electricity, equal to the yearly consumption of more than 1,000 Parma households.

Sidel plans to invest about EUR5 million in Parma for the energy transition, accompanying the construction of the photovoltaic system with other important initiatives to help achieve the sustainability goals set for the three-year period 2022-2024 by the company, the world’s leading provider of packaging solutions for beverages, food, and personal and household care products in PET, cans, glass, and other materials.

“Our environmental commitment is at the heart of all our activities. Indeed, we make our contribution to environmental protection by innovating and developing sustainable solutions to reduce CO2 emissions,” commented Francesca Bellucci, Sustainability Director of the Sidel Group. “Our decarbonisation strategy aims for a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions – those resulting from our operations and energy consumption – by 2030. This goal has already been achieved: we reduced our emissions by 75% in 2023 compared to 2019. The full implementation of the photovoltaic system in Parma allows us to take another important step towards achieving the goal of zero net emissions across our entire value chain by 2050.”

All Sidel’s production sites worldwide, including the Parma site, are certified according to the ISO 14001 environmental management system. With this certification, Sidel has adopted a system that enables it to achieve a continuous reduction in its global environmental footprint. By integrating sustainability principles into its operations, the company aims not only to reduce its carbon footprint, but also to improve its operational efficiency, innovation and competitiveness.

“We are particularly proud to have put the entire system into operation, providing the plant with self-generated clean energy,” commented Riccardo Rosselli, VP Global Sites & Facility Management at Sidel Group and Site Leader of the Parma site.