UNDP and Brandix partner to promote sustainable biomass energy

• Partnership to facilitate fuelwood plantations 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with Brandix Apparel Limited to promote renewable energy in Sri Lanka through the facilitation of model fuelwood plantations for a sustainable energy supply in Sri Lanka.

Speaking about this partnership, UNDP Sri Lanka Deputy Resident Representative Faiza Effendi stated, “As nations prepare for the COVID-19 aftermath, there is a tremendous opportunity for a reset. Ambitious green recovery plans will help countries restore their economies while deepening their energy transition. Now is a good time for Sri Lanka to accelerate a transition to clean energy to sustain a recovery that’s better for all.”

As a clean energy source, sustainable biomass energy has the potential to boost local economies. UNDP’s partnership with Brandix, a leader in apparel manufacturing in Sri Lanka at the forefront of efforts towards sustainability and a conscientious user of energy, will ensure that Sri Lanka has a low carbon growth whilst enhancing the company’s initiatives towards promoting the use of sustainable biomass energy. 

Some of the major initiatives entail assisting suppliers of biomass energy to adopt SLS 1551, a standard for sustainable biomass energy, as well as establishing sustainable fuelwood plantations.   

Commenting on the partnership, Brandix Group Head of Engineering Ilthimas Ahamed stated, “In line with Brandix’s journey towards achieving Net Zero Carbon status by 2023 across all our manufacturing locations in Sri Lanka, we have converted all our furnace oil-fired boilers to biomass boilers, with the expectation of making available sustainably sourced biomass for our renewable energy demand.”

“This MoU also reaffirms Brandix as the first corporate entity to step forward in our efforts to ensure that the biomass used by Brandix is responsibly sourced from certified suppliers under SLS 1551,” he added.