Mattress maker Vitafoam has cut power costs by 40 per cent, a year after switching to solar energy.
In a statement to media houses, the firm said its power bill has reduced significantly over the past 12 months including the three months of dull overcast weather in the middle of the year, attributing it to the ‘Going Green’ initiative launched early last year.
According to Vitafoam Products Limited ‘s CEO Rakesh Shah, the array of 200 photovoltaic (PV) panels has the capability of generating 75kw, which is sufficient for foam rubber production, factory machines, office equipment, and lighting.
The reduction in environmental pollution by avoiding CO2 emissions is approximately 0.5kg for each Kilowatt of power. This is the equivalent of the benefit from six large trees or 10 hectares of grassland.
“The panels have the advantage of being long-lasting and require little maintenance giving us a degree of independence from the erratic and fluctuating mains supply,’’ Rakesh said.
He added that it is surprising that many countries in Europe have developed solar energy to a greater extent despite lacking Kenya’s months of sunshine.
‘’We are very pleased that during our year of “Going Green” we have benefited greatly from our own eco-friendly electricity. We strongly urge other industries to take advantage of the endless free supply of energy from Kenya’s bright sunlight,’’ Rakesh said.