Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Industrial, Solar - March 27, 2025
Kimberly-Clark’s German Site Nears 100% RE Goal
Kimberly-Clark (K-C) announced that its manufacturing site in Koblenz, Germany, has become the company’s first tissue manufacturing facility globally with plans to transition its operations to 100% renewable energy.
The site will electrify its heating needs as well as source its electricity demand via a portfolio of European power purchase agreements of offsite renewables. The company plans to complete this transition by 2029.
The move is made possible by a Carbon Contract for Difference (CCFD) grant from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), combined with K-C’s recently announced multi-country European purchase power agreements. As a result, toilet paper, hand towels and wipes under brands Kleenex, Scottex, Scott, WypAll, and Page & Hakle manufactured at the Koblenz facility will be produced with significantly fewer carbon emissions.
The CCFD is a financial mechanism to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Improvements at the Koblenz site supported by the grant will include switching a natural gas boiler, hood heaters and related infrastructure to electric. These updates will achieve an energy efficiency of almost 99% and remove over 13,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (MTCO2e) annually at the facility.
Kimberly-Clark, a global manufacturer of personal care and hygiene products, will also source the electricity demand for its Koblenz facility via a portfolio of European power purchase agreements of offsite renewables. The company recently announced the launch of three virtual solar power purchase agreements in Italy and Spain, which will generate enough renewable electricity to cover the total needs of its Koblenz facility while the European power grid increases its renewable energy capacity. Sourcing offsite renewable electricity to match the site’s electricity needs will achieve a further estimated reduction of approximately 36,000 MTCO2e per year.
“Announcing our first Kimberly-Clark tissue manufacturing site globally with a pathway to 100% renewable energy is an incredible milestone that demonstrates how we continue to progress on our decarbonization journey, through innovative cross-sector collaboration" said Lisa Morden, Chief Sustainability Officer at Kimberly-Clark, in a statement. “We are proud to execute this decarbonization project that will unlock new technologies for Kimberly-Clark, enabling us to tackle the challenge of reducing direct greenhouse emissions, which represent 60% of our total emissions.”
Read These Related Articles:
Stay Up-To-Date
