Packaging company Sealed Air (SEE) announced an investment of $9 million in a 3.5 MW solar farm to power its manufacturing facility in Madera, California. According to Sealed Air, the project will help reduce energy spend at the facility by $1 million annually.

The new ground mount solar project includes 8,975 solar panels, which sit on 11 acres of land, and a 770 kW/3,080 kilowatt-hour battery storage system. Over its first year, the project will help avoid about 4,982 metric tons of CO2 and 72,172 metric tons of CO2 over 15 years, equivalent to the GHG emissions from over 15,000 passenger cars driven for a year.

TotalEnergies, which recently acquired the Commercial & Industrial Solutions (CIS) business of solar and storage company SunPower for $250 million, partnered with Sealed Air on the design and installation of the solar project.

Eric Potts, Vice President of TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA, said:

“TotalEnergies is proud to be SEE’s energy transformation partner as they invest to achieve ambitious sustainability targets. Renewable energy is a business priority for both of our companies, so we are thrilled that this project will deliver long-term benefits to SEE’s Madera facility while advancing global progress toward carbon neutrality.”

The new project will provide 98% of the electricity for the facility which produces products including BUBBLE WRAP brand cushioning, SEALED AIR brand Korrvu retention and suspension packaging, and mailers.

Emile Chammas, Sealed Air’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

“The installation of these solar panels contributes to SEE’s overarching sustainability strategy and advances our transition to net-zero carbon emissions in our operations by 2040. Through these solar panels, we are advancing our use of renewable energy, lessening the energy intensity of operations and reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.”