EDP and Navigator install EDP's largest self-consumption plant in Portugal at Figueira da Foz.
EDP Comercial has been chosen by The Navigator Company to create a solar park that will be one of the largest for company self-consumption in Portugal. The 17 MWp solar plant will be installed at the Navigator industrial complex in Figueira da Foz, a unit that is already one of the most efficient in Europe following the implementation of a plan to invest in technologies that use renewable energy sources. The most significant investment was for a new biomass boiler, enabling fossil fuels to be replaced by biomass to generate the electricity and steam necessary for the pulp and paper production processes. The boiler, inaugurated in 2020, reduced total emissions from the Figueira da Foz complex in 2022 by 63% in comparison to 2018, the base year of The Navigator Company's Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality.
The 26,000 solar panels will provide clean electricity to the complex housing the Group's first integrated pulp and paper factory powered exclusively from renewable sources. This project will not only boost more sustainable energy consumption, it will also contribute to reducing Navigator's energy demand, enabling the company to reduce its energy costs over the coming years.
When installed, the solar park will be EDP's largest for self-consumption in Portugal, covering an area equivalent to about 23 football fields. It will have the capacity to produce 26 GWh of electricity per year, sufficient renewable energy for the annual requirements of around 10,500 families. In addition to its size, this plant also sets a benchmark in Portugal for its innovation, being one of the first to use bifacial solar panel modules, technology that enables the panels to capture sunlight on both sides, increasing the capacity of the park by up to 30%. This project will enable more than 7,000 tons of CO2 to be avoided annually.
This installation strengthens the partnership between The Navigator Company and EDP, following their installation in 2021 of an initial 2.6 MW plant at the same complex. These investments accelerate progress toward Navigator's target of achieving carbon neutrality at its industrial complexes by 2035 and consolidate EDP as the leading solar energy partner for companies.
"Solar energy is an essential part of the Company's decarbonization strategy. Our aim is for 80% of our primary energy consumption to come from renewable energy by 2030. Implementing this project reinforces the commitment of The Navigator Company to find solutions to the climate challenge and for a low-carbon economy, with the intention of increasing our contribution to the creation of sustainable value," said Nuno Santos, Executive Director of Navigator.
"The difficult time we are passing through in the energy sector reinforces the need to accelerate the transition to alternative energy sources, which can be produced locally and reduce dependence on other countries and partners. This project is EDP's largest in Portugal to date and will make a significant contribution to the decarbonization of this industry and area of the country. It is with great satisfaction that we take this step with a company that, like EDP, is today a multinational company, proud to have started out in Portugal," said Vera Pinto Pereira, Executive Director of EDP.
Decentralized solar energy projects—installed at the homes of customers or buildings of corporate clients—will be one of EDP's main growth axes for the coming years. In Europe, over 115,000 families and companies have already adopted EDP solutions, which contribute to the decarbonization of the planet, while also reducing energy bills.
Navigator set a target of achieving carbon neutrality at its industrial complexes within 15 years, an ambitious goal to which it has allocated a total investment of EUR 154 million. Accordingly, by 2035, all manufacturing units are to be neutral for carbon emissions, achieving a reduction of 86% in CO2 emissions compared to 2018, through the use of cleaner technologies. This commitment is the culmination of a responsible business management strategy that aims to increase the Company's positive contribution to value creation and sustainable growth in a changing world.