Gypsum industry news
Canada/US: Saint-Gobain has signed a 15-year renewable electricity supply agreement (PPA) with TotalEnergies for the purchase of solar power for its 125 industrial sites in the US and Canada. This 100MW PPA, known as the Danish Fields Solar Project (Danish Fields), is expected to offset Saint-Gobain’s North American CO2 emissions from electricity (scope 2 emissions) by 90,000t/yr. The project is expected to come online by the end of 2024.
Danish Fields is the third PPA signed in North America by Saint-Gobain. The first PPA, with the Blooming Grove Wind Farm in Illinois, was signed in 2020, and the second, with TotalEnergies’ Cottonwood Bayou Solar Project in Texas, was signed in 2022. All three projects have been supported by Edison Energy, a leading energy and sustainability advisory that consults with the largest commercial, industrial and institutional energy users.
Mark Rayfield, the chief executive officer of Saint-Gobain North America, said “With this agreement, Saint-Gobain North America will further reduce its CO2 emissions, demonstrating how fast the manufacturing industry can transform when long term solutions are at hand. This renewable energy project is a new milestone on the way to meeting Saint-Gobain’s commitment to reduce scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 33% by 2030 - compared to 2017 - and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.”
The three projects combined are expected to represent a reduction of more than 70% in Saint-Gobain North America’s scope 2 emissions, compared to 2017 levels.
Canada/US: Saint-Gobain North America and its subsidiary CertainTeed say they have reduced their CO2 emissions from electricity usage by about a third in 2021 through the use of renewable energy contracts. In February 2020, Saint-Gobain entered into a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement with the Blooming Grove Wind Farm in McLean County, Illinois. At the time, the agreement was the largest renewable energy deal in Saint-Gobain’s 356-year history. Saint-Gobain worked with Edison Energy, an industrial energy advisor, on the arrangement.
“We’re thrilled with the results of our partnership with the Blooming Grove Wind Farm, and will continue to look for ways to maximise our positive impact, for our customers and the communities where we do business, while minimising our environmental footprint,” said Mark Rayfield, the chief executive officer of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed. “In this next chapter of our company’s history, our team will strive to lead our industry towards a more sustainable future.”
