Major CO2 emissions savings for Sofidel in Spain thtrough a Power Purchase Agreement with Acciona Energía


Sofidel, one of the world’s leading paper groups for the production of paper for hygienic and domestic use known particularly in Italy and Europe for its Regina brand, has signed a long-term supply agreement in Spain with ACCIONA Energía, one of the main players in Spain for renewable energy.

The agreement, a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), will provide the Buñuel plant in the autonomous community of Navarra with 90 gigawatt hours per year of renewable electricity from ACCIONA Energía’s renewable facilities in Spain. This will save the paper group 12,870 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

The agreement provides for the supply of electricity with 100% renewable origin accreditation certified by Spain’s National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC), as well as access to ACCIONA Energía’s GREENCHAIN® application, a platform based on blockchain technology that allows the renewable origin of energy to be tracked in real-time. Using this tool, Sofidel will know which ACCIONA Energía production plant and which renewable source supplied each MW to its plant.

“In line with its path toward a low-carbon economy, Sofidel is pursuing a multi-option energy procurement policy, linked to the different legislative, infrastructural and environmental contexts in which it operates” explains Riccardo Balducci, Sofidel Energy & Environment Director. “The signing of the PPA with ACCIONA Energía fits into this pattern and represents a decisive step toward achieving our goals.”

Javier Montes, Commercial Director from ACCIONA Energía, comments: “PPAs represent a valuable ally for companies committed to energy transition and emissions abatement. With this agreement, ACCIONA Energía consolidates its partnership with Sofidel and helps support the Group in achieving its sustainability goals.”

Sofidel’s 2030 CO2 emission reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as consistent with the reductions needed in order to limit global warming to well below 2°C under the Paris Agreement. These objectives include a 40% reduction in Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 CO2 emissions in relation to its suppliers’ pulp production activities; in addition to a further objective of a 24% reduction in Scope 3 CO2 emissions per metric ton of paper.

A commitment to fight climate change that has enabled Sofidel to once again, in 2022, rank in the Leadership band of the Climate Change rating of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), among the leading independent international organizations measuring environmental performance, and obtained for the second consecutive year the Platinum recognition from EcoVadis for its approach to sustainability confirming its place among the top 1% of companies in its sector worldwide.