SUNDERLAND (ITALPRESS) – Water voles, amphibians, bats, badgers and birds are certainly not what you would expect to see in a large industrial hub. But all these animals and more can be found at the Nissan plant in Sunderland, thanks to a rewilding project aimed at increasing the biodiversity of the area and transforming an uninhabited marshy area into a suitable habitat for wildlife. “We thought of doing a rewilding project near our first wind farm – built almost 20 years ago – and our second solar farm set up recently. And the very area of the new solar farm has been the focus of our sustainability and biodiversity efforts, and we have been amazed at how quickly many animals have taken up residence there,” said Andy, the plant’s engineering manager.The project, which involved removing weedy shrubs and plants, revitalizing the habitat and building a refuge, was carried out by the plant’s engineering team in collaboration with Atrato Partners Ltd – a company specializing in solar farm development – and took just over a year to complete. Animals spotted so far in the area include deer, badgers, newts, various species of bats and birds, including owls, herring gulls, buzzards and kestrels. At the same time, the flora has also developed and been enriched with new species, including bee orchids, white clover and perennial lupine. “The second solar park project allowed us to transform the existing marsh by adding another pond and a new manicured lawn. It was about taking a holistic approach that included ecological diversity and renewable energy,” added Andy. Thanks to wind and solar farms, Nissan’s Sunderland plant is now able to generate 20 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources.Nissan’s EV36Zero project will transform the Sunderland plant into an industrial role model where electric vehicles, batteries and renewable energy will be produced.As part of its global Ambition 2030 strategy, Nissan aims to become a fully sustainable company to help achieve a cleaner, safer and more inclusive world. The vision supports Nissan’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality in all of its operations and in the life cycle of its products by 2050.
photo: press office Nissan Italy
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