In an effort to keep pace with the rapid growth of e-commerce, PostNL continues to invest in sustainable solutions to ‘future proof’ its network of parcel sorting and delivery centres. As part of this process, the corporation has installed state-of-the-art energy efficient sorting machines, as well as structurally re-designing many of its depots to ensure optimum use of daylight and solar technology.
Despite already being a heavy consumer of ‘green’ electricity, PostNL is aiming in the near future to produce the majority of its required energy locally, as well as improving energy efficiencies in new and existing buildings.
The installation of solar panels at the first PostNL sorting office took place in June 2016. Before the end of the year, the corporation aims to have installed solar panels in a further 12 sorting centres, with the remaining seven other sites nationwide being fitted out with this cutting edge technology in 2017. When realised, it will be second largest industrial solar panel installation in the Netherlands.
PostNL’s solar panels are expected to generate upwards of 4.8m kWh each year - approximately 40% of the electricity required to power the corporation’s parcels division. Once fully operational, they are set to reduce the postal services carbon emissions by approximately 1,800 tonnes per annum.