At Garcia de Pou we have inaugurated a new network of solar panels on the roof of our facilities in 2023. A structure made up of 2,606 panels, which have the capacity to generate 1.7 GWh per year and to satisfy a large part of the energy demand used in the company’s industrial process. Garcia de Pou’s objective with this installation is to achieve energy self-sufficiency, as well as contributing to the reduction of its carbon footprint.
The company has always shown its commitment to the environment, so this commitment to solar energy is part of the company’s philosophy. Our product catalogue, with more than 6,000 references, is largely made up of sustainable, biodegradable and compostable items. The ecological certifications of our products, such as the Ecolabel, FSC® or PEFC® labels, are a demonstration of the work that the company has been doing in this regard. This photovoltaic installation is a further step towards a circular economy: it contributes to a reduced use of fossil fuels, which are still today the main source of energy used to generate electricity worldwide, and therefore helps to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
Self-consumption and sustainability
The equivalent of 32,000 trees planted
The photovoltaic solar panels have been placed on the roofs of the factory and warehouse facilities that our company has in Ordis (Girona), taking advantage of more than 16,670 m2 of roof. The study and assembly of the installation was carried out by the Gironian company «Voltaic», based in Olot, which works along the same lines as Garcia de Pou in terms of environmental commitment. With these panels, the installation company calculates that Garcia de Pou achieves an annual saving of 817 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, or in other words, the equivalent of planting more than 32,000 trees.
The panels that have been installed are state-of-the-art and have been chosen for their efficiency and high sustainability standards. The manufacturer of the solar panels is the American company «Maxeon Solar Technologies», one of the most important in the sector, with installations in more than 100 countries. Most important, is its commitment to the principles of responsibility of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, anti-corruption and sustainability of its products.
Leading-edge panels in efficiency and sustainability
The solar panels we have installed do not contain lead and are manufactured using recyclable materials. These panels have multiple sustainable manufacturing certifications. For example, they were the first in the world to obtain the prestigious «Cradle to Cradle» certification», which ensures that the panels undergo a rigorous assessment of sustainable practices in the areas of materials, renewable energy, carbon management, water stewardship and social equity.
2,606 solar panels
Our installation also stands out for its high energy efficiency, high resistance to sudden changes in temperature and for having a technology capable of operating in adverse lighting conditions. It has 12 inverters of the «Ingeteam» brand, a business group specialising in energy conversion and responsible for one of the largest photovoltaic plants in the world, the 400MW New England Solar Farm in Australia.
We reduced our carbon footprint
The Garcia de Pou production plant has 17,500 m² and several warehouses totalling 52,550 m². With the assembly of the latest clad-rack warehouse, it was decided to also install all the low-consumption equipment, to reduce energy consumption. Small steps with which Garcia de Pou aims to reduce the environmental impact on the planet as much as possible.
