While it may have been slightly cloudy over the UK this summer, that hasn’t slowed down our plans to make more use of solar power at our print sites.
In this blog, we share an update on our solar panel installation project and talk more about how we’re striving for net zero…
Our recent projects
Reducing our environmental impact is a priority here at Reach and some of the areas we continue to focus on are energy management, production process and supply chain, waste, use of renewables and biodiversity.
During August we started our first phase of installing nearly 5000m2 of solar panels at our Oldham print site, which is now the first to be utilising solar energy for its daytime activities.
Further plans
Oldham is the first of three Solar PV installations at our print sites, with Glasgow (2300m2) and Watford (2000m2) now underway.
All 3 sites will be generating their own power in the coming weeks, and will be largely self-sufficient during daylight hours. With a combined PV Generator Output of 2000kWp, that’s enough to power 217 average UK households.
This will allow us to have a ready source of renewable energy to be used at our print sites, which means our products can become even more sustainable. As we aim for net zero this is just one of the milestones to getting there and leads the way for us so we can reach this goal.
How are we doing without solar panels?
We continue to find ways to improve our eco-friendly processes and source sustainable materials, helping to reduce the associated carbon with your newspaper. Since 2019 we have reduced our scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 76%. Since 2021 we’ve reduced our water consumption by 20%. In 2022 we sourced 98.05% of newsprint from recycled materials or wood from certified sustainable forests. So, imagine that now being turned into your favourite newspaper with renewable energy.
Plus, we are carrying out sustainability training for staff across the group and have created our sustainability network enhancing awareness and engagement across our organisation.
