Plas-Pak is a big picture company. We know that our actions have a direct influence on the environment around us, and it is very important to us that the impact we have on our environment is a positive one. One of the ways that we accomplish that is by using renewable energy.

When we signed the Australian Packaging Covenant, which is an initiative by the Australian government, we had to demonstrate that we would be following certain initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint.

One of those initiatives was the substantial investment that we made when we installed our solar panels. This investment to the reduction of our carbon footprint shows the tremendous responsibility we feel towards the environment.

Few people actually know the role that plastics play in optimising the use of renewable energy and subsequently reducing carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions.

Plastics and Renewable Energy

Plastics have a high abrasion resistance, self-lubricating properties, minimal thermal expansion, and electrical insulation. This gives it an important role in the supply of renewable energy. Some examples of tools used to harness the energy potential of the sun, wind, water and chemical energy, are solar panels, wind turbines, hydro-electric power and fuel cells[1]. (A fuel cell converts stored chemical energy into electrical energy[2].) In the following paragraphs we will discuss how plastics are used in wind turbines and solar cells.

Not only does plastic play a role in the use of renewable energy, but it plays a large role in the conservation of energy. Vinyl replacement windows and home insulation has plastics as a key component and as such contributes to reduced energy costs and limited greenhouse gas emissions[3].

Plastics and Wind Turbines

Using lightweight plastic composites, engineers experimented and created the durable, aerodynamic blades of wind turbines. These lightweight blades can spin faster, resulting in more turbine speed and megawatt output.

Plastics and Solar Cells

Solar panels often use plastics to protect or connect panel parts.

In the near future we may see significant improvements in solar panel technology. Researchers have found that certain plastics’ molecules can be manipulated to create ordered pathways along which electrical charges can travel more efficiently[4].

Plastics can be flexible, lightweight, and thin, making the solar panel solutions of the future very exciting. In the foreseeable future solar panels will be more affordable, making the use of renewable energy available to more people, homes and businesses, which will in turn result in a minimised carbon footprint.

Waste to energy

A new initiative in re-using plastic is the conversion of plastics into energy.

We support the recycling and repurposing of plastics, but not all plastics are recycled or repurposed and with new developing initiatives plastics can become a source of energy.

More and more countries, including Australia, are investigating and developing plants where waste can be converted into energy. They do this through gasification. The waste is heated in an oxygen deficient atmosphere, and this product is changed into chemicals or fuels.

Plastics are part of our future. With responsible and intelligent use it will be quite a bright future.

^{Data Sources:}

^{[1] Michael Sanclements, Plastic Purge, How to use less plastic, eat better, keep toxins out of your body, and help save the sea turtles, p. 89}

^{[2] FUEL CELLS – ALTERNATE ENERGY STORAGE}

^{[3] Michael Sanclements, Plastic Purge, How to use less plastic, eat better, keep toxins out of your body, and help save the sea turtles, p. 89}

^{[4] Plastics Help Deliver Renewable Energy}