Poland's largest chocolate manufacturer, Mondelez Polska, is set to invest $1 million (4 million zloty) in solar installations across three of its seven production facilities in the country.

This initiative is aligned with the renewable energy goals of its parent company, Mondelez International, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The solar installations, with a combined capacity of approximately 3 MW, will be accompanied by measures to reduce electricity consumption at the plants. The first installation, located in Skarbimierz, southern Poland, will be the largest such investment by Mondelez in Europe, boasting a total capacity of 999 kWp. This project, approved for a direct power line connection under new regulations, is expected to directly contribute to the factory's electricity needs, reducing its carbon footprint by nearly 800 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

Additional installations are planned near Mondelez's facilities in Bielany Wrocławskie and Jankowice near Poznań. The $1 million investment reflects Mondelez Polska's commitment to renewable energy and its confidence in the potential of its Polish factories, said Roman Sitko, the CEO of Mondelez Polska. Mondelez, known for producing iconic snacks like Milka chocolates and Oreo biscuits, employs over 5,000 staff in Poland. Despite this move towards renewable energy, Poland remains a significant coal-dependent energy market, with 64% of electricity being generated from coal in 2023. Photo by Mike Mozart from Funny YouTube, USA, Wikimedia commons.