Sustainability
Sustainable Innovations: Solar Panels
It has been a monumental few months at Kingfisher as far as innovation is concerned. In addition to the arrival of our brand-new Index MS22 machine, we have had solar panels installed in recent months.
As a manufacturing business in Leeds, our green and sustainability credentials are massively important to us and present a major opportunity to establish ourselves as a leader in sustainable manufacturing within our market. That is why we have taken steps, like installing solar panels, to reduce our carbon footprint and improve our energy efficiency by adopting renewable energy
What will Solar Panels provide for Kingfisher?
In partnership with Heatsource Direct, we were able to install a high-quality solar system which has been built to last. Not only have we future-proofed with a new major energy source for our business; we have taken advantage of the opportunity to reduce our carbon output by operating with renewable energy generation.
Longer-term – the solar panels will make our manufacturing processes more efficient and cost-effective with less non-renewable energy required to power our intensive line of manufacturing machinery. Eventually, this will enable us to pass on these reduced manufacturing costs to our loyal customers due to our reduced energy usage.
Helen Thornley, Financial Director at Kingfisher Lubrication, said: “We’re well aware of the need for the manufacturing industry to lower its carbon footprint and we have been working hard to bring down our emissions where we can, with solar energy high on our green wish list. So, to have completed this project and improve our sustainability credentials is really pleasing.”
This innovation would not have been possible without the support and expertise of the team at Heatsource Direct. If you would like to find out more about their offerings, you can visit their website here.
How much energy will we save?
In the peak summer months, when we experience the joys of the Great British summertime, we will be able to generate enough energy from the sun to power up to 30% of our manufacturing efforts. This is a major boost for us as a business, as we make a concerted effort to increase our efficiency and reduce our wastage within the way we manufacture our products. Not to forget, this has major cost-saving benefits with the astronomical rises of energy in recent months.
Sustainability at Kingfisher
We pride ourselves on adopting sustainable processes within our business. The need for sustainability within the manufacturing industry is paramount and our eventual goal is to be an industry leader in the adoption of green processes. We have already taken key major steps, like installing solar panels, on our journey to be a sustainable manufacturer but we are also aware of how much work there is left to do for us as a business and the industry as a whole.
Some of the other sustainable initiatives we have adopted to date include:
– Recycling up to 92% of our manufacturing waste
– Installation of energy-efficient LED lighting across our manufacturing and office spaces
– Innovation and streamlining of internal processes with the ultimate goal of being paper-free
You can find out more information about our commitment to sustainability on our environmental policy page here.
