Zotos, a haircare manufacturer, claims to have created the largest onsite wind project of any U.S. manufacturer. The company said the wind farm located at its plant in Geneva, NY., had helped it reach its goal of finding 100 percent of its electrical needs from renewables.
Zotos’ wind project has received the endorsement of the pro-wind lobby group the American Wind Energy Association, who said it was the largest wind project of any manufacturer in the U.S. It is also the largest private industrial wind plan in the New York State region. The project was funded in part by the 2009 federal stimulus, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The project comprises two 1,650-kilowatt (kW) wind turbines (yielding a total capacity of 3.3 megawatts), which provide power to the 670,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, which employs 760 staff.
The company, which makes haircare and styling aid products and is owned by global cosmetics giant Shiseido, said the onsite wind turbines were a first in the beauty industry.
“After years of hard work, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, we have finally achieved a key milestone toward our vision of sustainable beauty,” Anthony Perdigao, the vice president and chief sustainability officer at Zotos said in a statement. “This is a historic moment for Zotos, our parent company, and our community. If we can do it, so can others.”
Zotos is one of number of U.S manufacturers who have begun installing on-site clean energy systems to help meet their power needs. One of the most high profile to date is Walmart, which has pledged to get all its power from renewables (though it has yet to set a date for when this will happen). Right now the retail giant has 180 renewable energy projects in operation or under development, including 100 solar power installations. According to Walmart, the company’s long-term goals include reducing its greenhouse gases at its facilities around the world by 20 percent by the end of this year.
Even so, onsite renewable energy supplied just 4 percent of Walmart’s power in 2010, and the company has a long way to go before reaching its 100 percent goal.
Zotos whose products are sold under the Zotos, JOICO, ISO, Senscience, and Bain de Terre brand names to hair salons and beauty retailers, said wind power made up just one part its green energy portfolio. It’s other efforts towards sustainability include energy-efficient lighting, reductions in water consumption, a significant increase in rail use, and the use of 100 percent recycled materials in most of its packaging. It has also pioneered the use of plant-based plastics in its bottle production.
Zotos said the wind project was expected to meet nearly 60 percent of the Geneva plant’s power needs. To make up the remaining 40 percent, the company recently entered into an agreement to purchase up to 9 million kW of green energy.
“Zotos is proud to lead the way for other manufacturers interested in sustainability,” Perdigao added. “Our future depends on it.”
