The work is is currently under construction in the Falken Tyre manufacturing facility, in Thailand, and it will feature the largest rooftop installation worldwide: a solar panel the size of 18 football pitches.
1. Falken
The Japanese-owned Falken Tyre is building the world’s most extensive solar panel installation on a single facility, covering an area of 100,000 square metres. As of 1 February 2023, this facility is considered the largest world’s rooftop solar panel array installed at a single facility, according to Internal KEPCO Research. The installation is being constructed at the Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) factory in Thailand, where Falken is a subsidiary.
2. Sustainable energy
The installation is composed of 40,000 solar panels projected to deliver 22MW and is set to be completed by January 2025. By then, the facility will be able to use 100% renewable energy, due to the investment in the new solar panel installation and the adoption of a gas co-generation system and biomass electric power system initiatives at the Rayong Province facility.
The program is meant to support projects that take advantage of advanced decarbonization technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries and elsewhere while promoting the practice of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), Falken stated.
In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries and beyond, the program also aims to contribute to the achievement of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by Japan and other partner countries.
The gas co-generation system, which comprises two 6.6MW boilers powered by renewable energy sources, will replace energy supplied by local utility companies. Additionally, biomass derived from the surplus branches and trunks after rubber trees are harvested, as part of SRI’s Sustainable Natural Rubber programme, will provide additional electrical power.
In total, the new initiatives are meant reduce total annual CO2 emissions by 38,000 tonnes.
3. Racing for climate targets
Driven by SRI’s long-term sustainability policy, “Driving Our Future Challenge 2050“ the latest initiatives are expected to help accelerate the company’s carbon neutral goals.
SRI aims to reduce annual Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 50% — compared to 2017 emissions — with its 2030 target now set to be achievable one year ahead of schedule.
