Pakistan-based denim maker Soorty is investing in clean energy.
The vertical manufacturer on Wednesday announced that it is breaking ground on a 6.26-megawatt (MW) captive solar project and a reflex energy storage solar hybrid controller in Nooriabad and Landhi.
Soorty said the project makes it Pakistan’s second denim manufacturer to build an energy storage solution. The company has previously invested in water- and chemical-reducing denim production systems. The captive solar project supports Soorty’s goal of promoting energy efficiency and clean energy.
The manufacturer expects the solar installation to produce about 9,198 megawatt-hours each year to power Soorty’s factory and reduce energy costs, while slashing about 5,656 tons of CO2-equivalent emissions, equal to planting about 229,950 trees, throughout the project’s lifecycle.
In addition to its own solar energy investments, Soorty is sponsoring Nasda Green Energy Ltd., a wind farm located in Pakistan’s Sindh province. As of May 1, the farm produces 50 MW of renewable energy for the national grid. The initiative is expected to save around 67,000 tons of carbon emissions yearly.
Earlier this month, Soorty announced that its year-old organic cotton initiative had earned a certification from third-party auditing firm the Control Union. This confirmed that the company had transitioned to organic farming—a process that can take up to four years before certifiable organic bulbs begin to grow. Soorty worked with the World Wildlife Federation of Pakistan, among other agricultural groups and foundations, to convert its own cotton and bring job growth and opportunities to Pakistani farmers.
The company has also adopted a recycled cotton traceability system. In January, Soorty teamed with Swiss technology company Haelixa, adopting DNA marker technology that allows the company track fibers through to finished garments. A marker is dissolved in liquid and applied to the textile waste before it is mechanically recycled at Soorty’s Pakistan mill. The tool allows technicians to perform production spot checks and ensure that final garments contain the recycled cotton.
