Unilever UK Now 100% Powered by Renewable Energy

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Consumer goods giant Unilever says that its UK manufacturing sites are now powered 100% by renewable energy. Several Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) over the last several months have allowed Unilever to go completely renewable, including:

  • Unilever UK & Ireland in January signed a PPA that allows it to use 10,000 MWhs of biomethane at five of its sites;
  • An original agreement with energy company Eneco UK for renewable electricity to power Unilever’s offices and factories;
  • An extended PPA with Eneco UK to acquire 165 GWhs of electricity generated from the wind farm.

Recently, Unilever US announced, through a partnership with NRG Energy, it will install onsite and offsite renewable energy generation to ensure 100% clean energy for all Unilever US sites. These initiatives are a part of Unilever’s goal to be carbon positive worldwide by 2030.

PPAs have proven popular with other large corporations. Sun Chemical recently announced it has entered into a 20-year PPA with Onyx Renewables, which will produce 1.1 million KWhs of electricity per year and save the company $400,000 in electricity costs.

The US Navy has also gone the PPA route. Earlier this month, the military branch announced that its submarine base in Groton, CT, has engaged in a PPA with the Connecticut Municipal Electric Cooperative. Last year, Duke Energy Renewables and Lockheed Martin signed a 17-year PPA for solar-generated electricity that amounts to approximately 72,000 mWh annually.

Environment + Energy Leader