Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ Falken Tires factory in Thailand is set to have the world’s largest rooftop solar installation on a single facility, according to a report by electrek.
The tire manufacturer aims to make its factory completely sustainable and is planning to reduce its emissions by half compared to 2017 levels in 2029, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The installation will cover an area of 100,000 square meters, consisting of around 40,000 solar panels with a total output of about 22 megawatts (MW). In addition, it will be equipped with a new gas cogeneration system powered by renewable energy, replacing energy supplied by local utility companies. After rubber tree harvesting, biomass from surplus branches and trunks will also be added to the energy mix.
Once operational in January 2025, the facility will generate enough energy to supply 2,000 households annually. The solar array is larger than 10 American football fields and will be the world’s largest single-rooftop solar installation.
In addition to Sumitomo Rubber Industries, other notable solar energy projects are underway globally. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is constructing the largest single-site solar park in the world, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, aiming to produce five gigawatts by 2030. In addition, Doral Renewables in Israel has started work on the US’s largest solar energy farm, Mammoth Solar, which is expected to be fully operational by 2024.
All in all, Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ initiative to make its factory 100% sustainable by 2025 highlights the importance of corporate responsibility towards sustainable development, particularly in the manufacturing industry.
