UK – The Swiss food and drink conglomerate, Nestle SA has opened a new wind farm at Sanquhar in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland to power half of its UK and Ireland factories using renewable energy.

According to Nestle, the facility is a nine turbine wind farm with the ability to generate 125 gigawatt hours of power annually, provide additional electricity to the national grid, enough to power 30,000 homes each year.

Developed in partnership with energy business Community Windpower, the farm contributes directly to the de-carbonising of the UK and Ireland’s electricity supply, said Nestle.

“Nestlé are leading the way procuring a UK source of green energy directly from our latest Scottish wind farm.

CWP’s long term partnership with Nestlé has delivered a substantial new investment in Scotland generating economic benefits, jobs and invaluable community contributions over the next 25 years,” said Rod Wood, managing director of Community Windpower.

Commenting on the matter, Stefano Agostini, CEO of Nestlé UK and Ireland said, “We already use 100% renewable, grid supplied electricity across all our UK and Ireland operations, but now with the opening of Sanquhar wind farm, we can supply half of our own energy here in the UK and Ireland.

I’m delighted we are not only using 100% renewable electricity to run our business here in the UK and Ireland, we are now responsible for producing it too.”

100% renewable electricity

This forms part of Nestle’s global commitment to procure 100% of its electrical energy from renewable power sources such as solar, wind, hydropower and the company’s UK carbon reduction target of 40% by 2020.

Nestle is lowering its carbon footprint associated with the production and distribution of their food and beverages, by improving energy efficiency, using cleaner fuels and investing in renewable sources.

Nestlé Mexico said it is obtaining 85% of its electrical energy needs from wind power.

Nestlé Waters North America, in partnership with SMUD recently announced an agreement to power its facility in Sacramento, California using 100% renewable energy.

It also revealed a power purchase agreement with EDP Renewables to provide 80% of the electricity load for five Nestlé facilities in Southeastern Pennsylvania in a step toward 100% renewable electricity goal.