AstraZeneca Signs 9-year Texas Solar PPA with ENGIE

Global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is procuring renewable energy on the grid to match its energy emissions at a Texas manufacturing site.

AstraZeneca signed a nine-year power purchase agreement with French-based energy developer ENGIE Resources. Under the PPA, the manufacturer will invest in solar energy development and gain Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) through ENGIE to offset its operations in Coppell, Texas.

The retail supply agreement will source from the Tyson Nick solar project, a 114-MW solar generator, located 90 miles northeast of Dallas in Lamar County, Texas. Under most corporate PPAs, the customer often does not receive the renewable energy directly, but the PPA helps finance project interconnection to decarbonize grid generation and offset the company’s emissions.

The Tyson Nick solar site (pictured) was completed within the last year. DC Solar Solutions led work on piles, racking and solar module installation. 

The agreement will help avoid an estimated 94,447 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of eliminating the emissions from burning 105 million pounds of coal. The initiative highlights AstraZeneca's announced commitment to sustainability and responsible environmental stewardship.

"By securing renewable energy for our Texas operations, AstraZeneca is proud to lead by example in reducing emissions and building a resilient supply chain," said Jim Fox, Senior Vice President, Americas Supply Operations at AstraZeneca, in a press statement. "This partnership illustrates how innovative thinking, shared values, and action can accelerate the transition to cleaner energy, benefitting both our business and our communities."

AstraZeneca has been trying multiple ways of decarbonizing and reducing its emissions profile, including signing similar renewable energy PPAs and supporting development of renewable natural gas (RNG) projects.

The company also was one of 10 pharmaceuticals which banded together to create the Energize program  several years ago focused on reducing Scope 2 emissions through clean power procurement with energy suppliers. The firms participating in the Energize program include AstraZeneca, Biogen, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, MDS, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi and Takeda.