L’Oreal aims to cut carbon footprint with solar power

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Cosmetics maker L’Oreal USA is building thousands of solar panels at its manufacturing facilities in Kentucky and Arkansas, a move the company says will help cut carbon emissions and create two of the biggest solar-powered projects in each state.

The subsidiary of L’Oreal Group said Tuesday it plans to install 5,000 solar panels at its Florence, Ky. plant and another 4,000 at its plant in North Little Rock, Ark. Work is expected to begin later this year, with the panels that will generate electricity for the plants operational by the middle of next year.

With the projects, L’Oreal USA said it will have reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent from 101,634 metric tons in 2005 to a projected 20,059 this year. The projects also mean the company’s five manufacturing plants in the United States will rely entirely on renewable electricity, L’Oreal said. The company will have 16 solar installations across the country with the addition of the two new ones.

“We are committed to being a sustainability leader in the United States and are proud of the progress we have made,” Frederic Roze, chief executive officer of L’Oreal Americas, said in a statement released by the company.

The panels will produce 10 per cent of the electricity of each facility, with the remaining power coming from local hydroelectric plants. The company declined to say how much it is spending on the two projects.