ABU DHABI: Agthia Group PJSC, one of the region's leading food and beverage companies, announced today a significant step towards reducing its carbon footprint. The Group’s solar energy initiative will involve the establishment of solar power plants at the production facilities of Al Ain Water and Al Foah, two of its key subsidiaries. The formalization of this green alliance with Yellow Door Energy, a renowned solar developer headquartered in the UAE, occurs through the execution of Letter of Award and subsequent signing of a solar lease agreement, which evidences Agthia's dedication to sustainability.

The initiative is expected to offset almost 20% of the energy consumptions for the factories each year, contributing to both sustainability gains and cost efficiencies. Over the next 25 years, the project will reduce CO2 emissions by 124,000 tonnes through guaranteed generation of 287,000 MWh of clean energy. This has an environmental impact of recycling 5.4 million single-use plastic bags, planting 2.1 million trees over a decade, and eliminating the use of 53 million liters of gasoline.

The two solar PV power plants, established through the agreement, have capacities of around 5MWp at the two factories. Agthia is set to integrate renewable energy into its manufacturing processes through a long-term lease arrangement with Yellow Door Energy.

Alan Smith, Group Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group, said: “This solar energy project is a huge step forward in our pursuit of becoming a diversified, leading food and beverage company devoted to sustainability. Food processors and manufacturers have significant hurdles in balancing safety and quality requirements with sustainable production techniques while boosting energy efficiency. By introducing solar into our energy mix, we significantly lower the carbon footprint associated with operations in these two locations. Additionally, collaborating with Yellow Door Energy resonates with our ideals of innovation, sustainability, and responsibility."

Rory McCarthy, Chief Operating Officer of Yellow Door Energy, said: “During the Year of Sustainability and in line with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 target, we are honored to partner with Agthia Group on its remarkable sustainability journey. Yellow Door Energy brings clean, reliable, and affordable electricity to more than 80 leading businesses in 6 countries, with a project portfolio of over 200 MWp. In addition to solar, we also provide battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions, EV charging stations, LED lighting and more. We are proud to be a UAE-founded and headquartered company, supporting visionary companies such as Agthia Group towards achieving their sustainability goals.”