Asia Pulp & Paper to grow solar power capacity in China with rooftop installations at eight sites

This will see an additional 129.5MW of capacity to build on 70.5MW installed during the previous year. It is anticipated to be the largest solar project within the pulp and paper industry, and amongst the largest rooftop solar projects anywhere in the world.

The solar project will result in the installation of approximately four million sq m of solar panels, the equivalent of 560 football pitches.

The panels will be installed at APP operations at Gold East, Gold HongYe, Gold Huasheng, Hainan Jinhai, Yalong, Ningbo Zhonghua, Ningbo Asia and Guangxi Jingui mills in China.

The project will build on the experience APP has developed as a result of a number of pilot projects completed during 2014. These include a 20MW rooftop solar project recently completed at Gold HongYe, a project with an installed capacity of 30.5MW at Hainan Jinhai and a 20MW rooftop solar project recently completed at Gold East Paper in Zhenjiang.

All 200MW of capacity is expected to be installed within the next three to five years.

The project is being developed by a consortium of Chinese solar manufacturers in a project led by APP. It also forms part of a wider Chinese Government strategy to increase distributed solar power capacity.

Power generated by the project will be supplied into the national power grid to benefit local users. APP in turn will receive discounted electricity from the national grid.

Bingjian Sun, communications general manager at APP China, said: ‘This project means APP will benefit from efficiency savings, while also making an important contribution to the local communities around our mills through the generation of clean and renewable power.

‘It is a great example of how sustainability can have a positive effect on planet and people as well as profit.

‘It also supports the Chinese Government’s commitment to increase the proportion of renewable energy in China to 20 percent by 2030.

‘As one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies, we recognise the important role we must play in helping reduce global emissions. Whether through facilitating the growth of renewable energy in China, reducing emissions from peatlands in Indonesia or cutting energy usage in our operations globally, we know we can have a significant impact.

‘As climate talks have progressed over the years, it has become clear that the private sector has a leading role to play in bringing about lasting change. Setting targets and making commitments can only go so far. It is real action on the ground that counts.’