Nissan increases green manufacturing at its biggest European plant

A huge solar farm of 19,000 photovoltaic panels has been developed by European Energy Photovoltaics for use at Nissan's Sunderland (UK) plant.

Sunderland is the company's biggest European manufacturing site, and it began integrating renewable energy sources in 2005, when Nissan installed its first wind turbines there. The 10 turbines contribute 6.6MW of power, with the 4.75MW solar farm taking the total renewables output to 11.35MW. This is enough energy to produce 31,374 vehicles, or seven percent of the plant's electricity requirements. 

Colin Lawther, Nissan’s Senior Vice President for Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management in Europe, said: “Renewable energy is fundamental to Nissan’s vision for Intelligent Mobility. We have built over 50,000 Nissan LEAFs in Europe, and the industry-leading new 250km-range LEAF is now available. With 10 wind turbines already generating energy for our Sunderland plant, this new solar farm will further reduce the environmental impact of Nissan vehicles during their entire lifecycle.”

Nissan is hoping for an eventual goal of zero emission vehicles, along with zero road fatalities, aided by its Intelligent Mobility vision. 

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