Kellogg Company has signed a long-term wind energy virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Enel Green Power in North America.
The agreement will see Kellogg buy a portion of electricity delivered into the grid from Enel’s Azure Sky wind project in Texas.
The 100mW VPPA will result in approximately 360 gigawatt hours of wind electricity annually, which Kellogg says is equal to 50% of the volume of electricity used in its manufacturing facilities across North America.
Enel has started the construction of Azure Sky in north central Texas, which combines a 350mW wind facility and approximately 120mW of battery storage. The Azure Sky wind farm will add clean energy resources to the community’s local grid and is expected to be operational in 2022.
Kellogg says the deal will help it reach 50% of its global Better Days goal of reducing its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 65% and achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2050.
The company’s portion of renewable energy generated by the wind farm is said to be equivalent to the amount of electricity it takes to power more than 43,000 homes each year. It will also avoid 250,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions on an annual basis.
“Kellogg has been working to reduce its carbon footprint across our value chain for more than a decade. Our latest VPPA further demonstrates to investors, stakeholders and our consumers that we are taking action to address climate change,” said Amy Senter, chief sustainability officer, Kellogg Company.
The announcement builds on renewable energy projects that Kellogg currently has in place around the world. For example, both its Western Europe and Australia operations have achieved 100% renewable electricity. Meanwhile, in North America, Kellogg has purchased Renewable Energy Certifications (RECs) for multiple facilities and offices in several states.
Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power, said: “As our first project to pair wind and storage, and our largest hybrid plant globally, Azure demonstrates Enel’s continued commitment to leading the energy transition towards a 100% renewable powered electric grid.
“This transition is supported and accelerated by customers, like Kellogg Company, who are placing sustainability at the core of their business.”
