Ford South Africa adopts renewable energy

Project Blue Oval, a renewable energy initiative, was created by Ford South Africa in collaboration with SolarAfrica with an estimated project value of $8.5 million (R 135m). Ford's Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, South Africa, which builds the Ranger pickup for domestic and export markets, now produces 35% of its electricity from solar energy as the first phase of the Project Blue Oval renewable energy program concludes.

This innovative initiative results from a long-term agreement to purchase electricity from SolarAfrica. With the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) carports for 3,610 vehicles at the Silverton plant, SolarAfrica's revolutionary, large-scale solar array produces 13.5MW of emission-free electricity for the Silverton plant using 30,226 solar panels. The solar PV array will reduce the equivalent of 20,072 tons of CO2 produced per year, representing a significant step toward Ford's goal of attaining carbon-free manufacturing by 2035 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

While the completion and the operation of the 13.5MW solar project is a remarkable feat surmounted, steps are being taken to ultimately have the Silverton plant completely energy self-sufficient and carbon neutral.