Orora has taken another step forward in its sustainability agenda through an agreement with CleanCo to secure long-term supply of renewable energy for the company’s cans manufacturing facility in Rocklea, Queensland.
Under the new agreement, which comes into effect January 2025 for a period of five years, Orora’s Rocklea facility will be powered by 18GWh of renewable energy primarily sourced from two local wind projects – Kaban Green Power Hub from January 2025, and MacIntyre Wind Farm from January 2026.
The deal means that 100 per cent of Orora’s electricity needs in Queensland will be sourced from renewable sources.
“Cleanco's responsiveness and adaptability to meet our needs stood them apart. They understood the renewable energy needs of an industrial like Orora, and through their portfolio of low-emissions generations asset they could provide a well aligned renewable energy solution,” Chris Smith, executive general manager of Orora, told PKN.
“The deal is an important step for us in our goal of net zero emissions by 2050 and 40% reduction by 2035.”
The partnership underscores Orora’s shared commitment to sustainability with its valued customer Suntory Oceania – in July 2023, the growing drinks company announced an agreement to power its beverage manufacturing facility in Swanbank by locally sourced renewable energy with CleanCo.
“For over 120-years, Suntory has had a strong focus on Growing for Good, and our new $400+ million Swanbank facility is sustainable by design. The practices and processes built into the foundations and operation will set a benchmark for sustainable investment in the FMCG sector,” explained Ian Goldschmidt, director of sustainability at Suntory Beverage & Food Oceania.
“Working with partners like CleanCo and Orora continue to enable us to deliver a sustainable supply chain with confidence and support our ambitions to significantly lower our emissions.”
The Rocklea facility joins Orora sites in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales in taking up electricity sourced from renewables. Orora’s long-term renewable energy agreements now cover volumes equivalent to 80 per cent of the company’s forecast electricity requirements in Australia.
“CleanCo is proud to partner with Orora to provide renewable energy for Orora’s Queensland operations, and it’s great to see an alignment in values and visions for decarbonising the Queensland economy,” said Tom Metcalfe, CEO of CleanCo.
“Growing our portfolio with renewable energy from wind and solar projects, such as Kaban and MacIntyre wind farms, supported by a flexible dispatchable fleet, means CleanCo can provide sustainable clean energy solutions to help customers like Orora and Suntory Oceania to thrive in a net zero future.”
The move complements the sustainable credentials of Orora cans, an infinitely recyclable packaging option produced from aluminium. As consumer demand for sustainable packaging grows, Orora’s Rocklea facility will play an important role in meeting these needs.
“We’re delighted to partner with CleanCo as we continue to increase the use of renewable energy in our business,” Smith added.
“Sustainability is fundamental to how we operate at Orora, and we’re committed to playing our part in addressing climate change through clearly defined goals. This agreement is an important step in achieving our target of net zero emissions by 2050, and we’re proud to be aligning our sustainability goals with our valued customer Suntory Oceania.“
The agreement with CleanCo is another positive step in Orora’s sustainability strategy, in line with the company’s goals of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and a 40 per cent reduction in emissions by 2035.
