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By Zika Bobby
Oyo State Governor, Oluseyi Makinde, has commissioned a 663.6 kilowatts per peak (kWp) solar plant built by the Nigerian Breweries Plc at its Ibadan brewery.
Speaking during the official commissioning ceremony, Governor Makinde commended NB’s management for investing in a solar plant which he noted would promote environmental sustainability, stating that his administration would continue to play its part by creating an environment that supports businesses in the state to grow.
He also lauded the commitment of the company towards achieving its very ambitious target of switching to 70 percent renewable energy usage by 2030, stating that the completion of the Ibadan Solar Power Plant has clearly demonstrated its determination to reach the goal.
“This is another first in Oyo State. When history will be written how NB Plc shifted from electricity to renewable energy, it would be said that Ibadan Plant was the first and as a government, we are very proud to be part of this story,” he added.
Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Chief Kolawole Jamodu, extoled the governor for his efforts in positioning the state as an investment destination and creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive which had encouraged the company to site the pilot of its solar power project in Ibadan.
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Jamodu expressed his delight at the project completion, describing it as a demonstration of NB’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Delivering his keynote speech, NB’s Managing Director, Jordi Borrut Bel described the project as a first of its kind in the manufacturing sector as Nigerian Breweries is the first brewer in Nigeria to commission a solar power plant providing renewable, clean energy for manufacturing.
Bel disclosed that in addition to this solar plant in Ibadan, the company is already developing other renewable energy plants in its other breweries to ensure that 70 percent of electricity used in all of its breweries is powered from clean sources.
“We are not only interested in being Number one in sales and profitability. We also want to be number one in environmental sustainability – ensuring that the communities where our breweries are located benefit from our operations in the best possible way,” he said.
He said the plant which was built at the cost of over N300 million, is part of NB Plc’s Brew A Better World sustainability agenda, aimed at meeting the company’s carbon neutrality targets through increased energy efficiency in its production.
He said the solar plant was built through a fully financed solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) executed with Crossboundary Energy Limited. It is expected to supply approximately 800 MWh to the brewery annually, providing a significant reduction to the current cost of power, while also reducing the plant’s CO2 emissions by over 10,000 tonnes over the lifespan of the plant.
