In September 2008, Aveda installed and activated a photovoltaic (PV) solar power system at its west coast distribution centre, in Los Angeles, California. This is the company’s latest sustainable energy commitment since it introduced 100 per cent wind energy product manufacturing practices in 2007.
The PV system is said to provide power for 85 per cent of the facility’s energy needs – currently 90,000 kilowatt hours annually and will prevent 58 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Aveda is also exploring other environmentally-friendly initiatives to offset the emissions generated by the remaining 15 per cent not provided by photovoltaic energy.
“The addition of the solar unit to Aveda’s existing renewable energy portfolio marks an important step towards our goal of becoming a carbon neutral company,” said Dominique Conseil, president of Aveda.
Energy-saving initiatives currently in place at Aveda’s Blaine, Minnesota headquarters include a passive solar wall collector to pre-heat incoming air during winter months, reusable totes for product shipping, and energy recovery and computerised energy management systems. The company also installed a prototype for a state-of-the-art hybrid lighting technology that captures sunlight through fibre-optic cables and channels it to lighting fixtures in Aveda’s production team offices.
In January, an Aveda spokesperson said of the PV solar system’s performance so far: "Functioning of the system is still being validated, but it appears that the system is working well and is producing the anticipated electricity as designed. At this point, no additional panels are planned for installation, but this may be an option in the future. There are some potential energy conservation projects that we need to evaluate first before we move forward on any expansion."