TMD Friction accelerates towards 100% renewable energy target with large solar project

TMD Friction, the leading global manufacturer of brake friction solutions, has installed 1,468 solar panels across 2,933m² of roof space at its Hartlepool production facility, marking a significant step forward in the company’s Sustainability Roadmap 2040, which includes an ambitious target of powering all its facilities with 100% renewable energy by 2030.

The self-funded project, delivered by supplier Geo-Green Power, is predicted to generate approximately 590,000 kWh of electricity annually, covering around 6% of the site’s total energy demand.

In addition to the energy savings, the installation will reduce the site’s carbon emissions by approximately 150 tonnes per year. A key feature of the project is the integration of SolarEdge monitoring software, which allows TMD Friction’s team to monitor the real-time performance of each individual panel, enabling proactive management and optimisation of energy output.

Andrew Turner, Vice President of PC Europe at TMD Friction, said: “The solar installation represents a meaningful and tangible commitment to our Sustainability Roadmap 2040. At Hartlepool, we’re not just generating cleaner energy, we’re embedding sustainability into the very fabric of our manufacturing operations. The ability to monitor each panel in real time means we can ensure we are getting the maximum benefit from the investment, and that’s the kind of precision and accountability we bring to everything we do.”

The wider global sustainability strategy

The solar panel project in Hartlepool joins a growing list of renewable energy milestones achieved by TMD Friction as part of its Sustainability Roadmap 2040.

At its 23,000m² Caransebes production facility in Romania, TMD Friction has also just completed one of its largest single-site solar investments to date. A total of 3,236 solar panels have been installed across two hectares, supplied by Servelect in a self-funded project. The system is designed to generate 2,580,000 kWh of green electricity annually, meeting approximately 14% of the site’s energy demand, and delivering annual carbon savings of 470 tonnes of CO₂.

The Caransebes installation represents a significant scale-up in TMD Friction’s renewable energy capacity.

Andrew Turner added: “The scale of this installation reflects our dedication to sustainability and investment in our company’s future. With 470 tonnes of CO₂ saved every year, the impact is real and measurable, moving us closer to our 2030 renewable energy target.”

Together, the two new solar panel installations will save a combined 620 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year, adding to the manufacturer’s growing portfolio of renewable energy investments that already includes solar panels at its Valencia facility, and a long-term partnership with green electricity provider Iberdrola across its German operations.

Regional renewable achievements

In Spain, 1,101 solar panels at the Valencia plant provided 11.7% of the region’s annual energy consumption in 2025, saving 219 tonnes of CO₂ per year. In Germany, a long-term agreement with Iberdrola will see renewable electricity generated by the Windanker offshore wind farm supply more than 50% of TMD Friction’s total German energy demand from 2027.

In 2025, 48% of the Group’s energy came from green sources.  Across its global operations, TMD Friction continues to invest in energy management software to analyse consumption data in real time, identify efficiencies, and maintain transparency in energy cost reporting by source.