Australia’s largest privately owned office products supplier COS, has invested $1 million in installing over 1,500 solar panels at its facilities as a step towards its goal of achieving zero carbon emissions.
The solar energy farms at its Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane locations will produce 80 per cent of power usage at each site.
The panels at its Sydney facility alone covers over 6,060 square metres. These three sites will produce in excess of 611 megawatt hours per annum and reduce COS’ carbon emissions by 532 tonnes per year – equivalent to removing 133 cars off the road.
COS managing director, Dominique Lyone said that because COS is privately owned the company has the freedom to make long term decisions that may not have an immediate return on investment.
"This move reflects our commitment to embracing new technology to protect natural resources and create sustainable solutions that benefit current and future generations," he said.
"We hope this inspires other organisations to reduce their carbon footprint.”
Lyone said the solar energy farms actually produce more energy than COS needs with 25 per cent fed back into the electricity grid.
"The next phase of this project will involve further investigation into battery storage solutions to move us closer to our goal of a zero emissions future,” Lyone said.
COS’ decision to invest in solar energy was a result of a carbon audit which found electricity contributed almost 50 per cent to the company’s carbon emissions.
COS worked with leading solar energy equipment supplier, Sun Connect, to install the solar panels at each site.
Sun Connect CEO, Mark Tuke, said the solar investment demonstrates a genuine commitment to sustainable energy solutions.