International Institute of Diamond Grading and Research installs 34.8kw solar roof in India

A diamond grading and inscription facility in India has become one of the first diamond lab in the industry to utilise solar power.

The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR), which falls under the De Beers Group of companies, has installed a 34.8-kilowatt solar rood at its inscription and grading facility in Surat, India, providing the facility with a renewable energy supply.

The roof will generate an average of 56,000 units of electricity each year, reducing heat loads by 90% and “significantly decreasing” the electricity used for air-conditioning.

Jonathan Kendall, President, IIDGR, said: “Over the past two years we've measured our carbon footprint and used this information to adapt our business practices in order to reduce our environmental impact and generate cost-savings in our energy and water consumption.

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“Sustainability is key for De Beers and this new solar operation is very much in line with our core beliefs. Meanwhile, the installation of the plant provides financial benefits alongside the positive environmental impact, so we hope to see a continued focus on initiatives such as this across the sector.”

Becoming one of the first in the diamond industry to use solar power, the solar plant has a 25-year lifecycle and will have paid for itself within five years as a result of the savings on electricity expenditure.