Michelin with CleanMax Enviro to raise renewable energy usage to 37%

French tyre major Michelin has signed a power purchase agreement with CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd aimed at increasing its renewable energy sources at its facility near here, the company said on Wednesday.

The first long-term open access power purchase agreement would allow the tyre manufacturer to increase its use of renewable energy to 37 per cent from the current 11 per cent at its facility in Thervoy Kandigai located at about 45 km west of Chennai in neighbouring Tiruvallur district.

"...in India we have been a pioneer in adopting multiple innovative green initiatives both inside and around outside our factory. Our partnership with CleanMax is one more concrete step by Michelin in India to contribute to our global green mission" Michelin Chennai plant director Florent Chaussade said.

Michelin India has several green energy projects in and around its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant as part of the Michelin Group's global green mission to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

In 2019, the company set out to shift the facility from fossil fuel-based energy to renewable energy. In 2020, the company installed a roof-top solar plant covering around 45 per cent of the roof area delivering 11 per cent of the factory's energy demands.

According to CleanMax MD Kuldeep Jain, his company completed a 4.2 MW onsite solar photo-voltaic project for Michelin Group in 2020.

"We are excited to assist Michelin in their quest to become more sustainable by implementing innovative green, clean energy solutions," Jain said.

The Chennai factory has undertaken several steps towards conserving and supporting lower emissions as part of the 4R strategy -- reduce, reuse, recycle and renew, the company said.