Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed a virtual power purchasing agreement (VPPA) with Enel North America to purchase approximately 400,000 MWh of renewable electricity from the Seven Cowboy wind project in western Oklahoma.
The eight-year agreement is signed to deliver a 90-MW portion of the project, which is expected to be operational by the second half of 2023.
At present, 60 Thermo Fisher Scientific sites across the world are powered by renewable electricity or investing in projects. With many PPAs, the customer does not necessarily receive the clean energy directly from the grid, but instead helps fund investment to bolster the economic security of these projects and receive renewable energy credits.
The Thermo Fisher clean energy portfolio includes seven facilities, which generate 3.5 MW of solar power and 3 MW of wind energy. Another 15 MW of solar power projects are planned as the firm intends to transition to renewable energy at most locations worldwide.
“By sourcing electricity from new wind and solar facilities we can help our customers meet their Scope 3 greenhouse gas reduction targets,” said Konrad Bauer, senior vice president, global business services, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “This project will more than double our use of renewable energy and, combined with our $20 million investment in green infrastructure earlier this year, supports our commitment to a net-zero value chain by 2050.”
Developer Enel Green Power broke ground on the 300-MW Seven Cowboy wind farm earlier this year. It is located in Kiowa and Washita counties, Oklahoma.
“From policymakers and business leaders alike, momentum continues to build in the transition to clean energy,” said Paolo Romanacci, head of Enel North America’s renewable energy business, Enel Green Power. “This agreement enables both Thermo Fisher and their customers to move closer to their sustainability goals – an important step forward that supports new clean energy on the grid while decarbonizing their value chain.”
