Imerys’ first solar plant in the Middle East will reduce GHG emissions by 15%
Imerys Al Zayani Bahrain is celebrating the inauguration of a 4.7-megawatt solar power plant, marking a significant stride towards sustainability and cost reduction. The collaborative effort supports Imerys’ 2030 goal to align its activities with the 1.5°C trajectory, contributing over 15% reduction in GHG emissions for the white fused alumina production plant.
Located in Hidd, Bahrain, the white fused alumina production plant has reduced its energy costs, while making significant progress in improving its environmental impact. This initiative aligns with both Imerys’ sustainability goals and Bahrain’s Net Zero initiative, which aims for zero neutrality in terms of carbon emissions by the year 2060.
The new solar power system covers three areas of the plant: rooftop solar; ground-mount solar; and car park solar. Over 8,600 solar panels in total provide the 4.7MW system that will produce 7,600 GWh of clean energy per year, enabling a reduction of 5,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. This represents over 15% of the plant’s emissions compared to the 2021 base year.
As a Group, our target is to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% in absolute terms by 2030. This solar plant is a concrete example of what we are doing to achieve our goal and develop low-carbon products for our customers.
Collaboration was key to this project, as success was achieved in conjunction with the site’s partner company, Al Zayani Industries; Yellow Door Energy, a leading sustainable energy provider for businesses in the Middle East and Africa; and Midal Solar, the appointed contractor on the project.
As the solar developer, Yellow Door Energy was responsible for financing, designing, building, commissioning, operating and maintaining the solar plant for the duration of the 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Imerys has been able to reduce energy costs without any upfront investment or operational risk, while maintaining focus on its core business as a world leader in mineral-based specialty solutions.
10 years of excellence
The inauguration on March 3 was part of a double celebration, as the plant also marked 10 years of operation.
A joint venture between Imerys (70%) and Al Zayani Investments, the state-of-the-art plant began production of white fused alumina in 2014. Its strategic location in an emerging economic power such as Bahrain makes it ideal for supplying the growing Asian market.
The team at Hidd has accomplished many notable achievements, and the plant is well-regarded within the Group for its highly engaged workforce, operational excellence and mature safety culture. The site has won several internal awards for good operational practice and, in January 2024, it was recognized with the Imerys group’s inaugural Visible Felt Leadership award, demonstrating exemplary leadership and innovation when it comes to employee health and safety.
Dirk Van Den Heever, Imerys Hub Director for the EMEA region, praised employees for their focus on safety, outstanding performance, and ability to collectively adjust to changing market cycles.
What stands out here is the people, this is an important joint venture, locally and for Imerys. Everyone I have met from Imerys Al Zayani is open and friendly. I’m excited to see what’s in store for our plant here in Bahrain.
During a celebration day dedicated to colleagues and their families, Philippe Bourg thanked employees and congratulated them on their achievements:
What a decade! The plant has been modernized and developed to be a best-in-class industrial facility. What I have seen while visiting the plant is truly remarkable. The solar plant has been a long and demanding project in which many of our colleagues have been involved. Everyone can be proud of the result.
Imerys’ ITC Tianjin marks a decade of pioneering research, global partnerships and product innovation, advancing solutions for diverse industries, from refractory to performance minerals.
Using peanut shells as a source of energy? This is one approach we are implementing through our decarbonization lever: Fuel switching and Biomass use. We have launched a comprehensive program to identify, assess and implement projects to switch from fossil fuels, such as coal and heavy fuel oil, to natural gas (a fossil energy source that releases lower GHG emissions) and to biomass waste.
We’ll take you on a journey to America, Europe, the Middle East and China to discover some of our initiatives!
Are you ready to explore how low-carbon and renewable electricity can drive our journey to be compatible with the 1.5°C trajectory? As one of our five key decarbonization levers, it has the potential to reduce half of the emissions we need to achieve our -42% reduction target.
Let's dive into renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the low impact electricity installations and projects we are deploying across the Group.
For this second article on our journey to 1.5°C, you will learn about our energy efficiency and recovery projects, which are expected to represent up to 20% of the Group’s emissions reduction potential by 2030. Join us on an immersion tour across some of our sites to discover some best practices and initiatives.