Air Liquide, a French supplier of industrial and medical gases, announced on Wednesday that it has inked its largest long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) to date with energy company Vattenfall.
Under the terms of the deal, Air Liquide will acquire 115 MW of new offshore wind energy generated by Vattenfall in the Netherlands.
Air Liquide has 26 industrial locations in the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of industrial and medical gases, technology, and services. The group has developed 9,400 km of supply pipelines and delivers more than 60,000 bottles of special gases to customers in 80 countries.
In accordance with its Sustainable Development goals, the company has pledged to lead the way in decarbonizing the European industry while reducing its own carbon footprint.
The company stated that the PPA is built on the 100 GW long-term deal that it signed with Vattenfall in March 2021, expanding the two companies’ partnership.
According to the press release, Air Liquide has signed a 15-year deal with Vattenfall, beginning in 2025. The renewable energy will be provided by the Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) offshore wind farm, which is currently being constructed off the Dutch coast by Vattenfall.
This deal will allow Air Liquide to offer renewable energy to its existing industrial and medical gas production assets in Benelux. It will also feed some of the region’s large-scale decarbonization initiatives. Air Liquide will also be able to cover more than 30% of the Group’s current power usage in the Benelux under the terms of the agreement.
This will save up to 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the course of the contract, which is equivalent to the emissions produced by over 150,000 Dutch families.
Air Liquide Senior Vice President Pascal Vinet remarked that Access to renewable energy is an important component of Air Liquide’s decarbonization and Sustainable Development strategy. It enables the Group to significantly decrease its carbon footprint, as well as fulfill rising customer demand for low-carbon solutions. “With this deal, Air Liquide also reaffirms its commitment to actively supporting Europe’s energy transformation,” he added.