(Credit: Johnson & Johnson)Johnson & Johnson (J&J), the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, has executed three separate virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) with Enel Green Power in Europe that will provide the equivalent of 100% renewable electricity for all J&J properties across its three business sectors — pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer health — in France, Germany, Spain, UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, and Italy.
The move significantly accelerates progress towards the company’s goal to meet 100% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025.
The three VPPAs include a mix of wind and solar projects in Spain for a total generation capacity of 104 megawatts (MW) or approximately 270,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable electricity annually. This amount of clean energy is equivalent to avoiding the carbon emissions from more than 41,000 passenger cars per year, or the annual electricity consumption of more than 82,000 homes. The wind and solar projects are expected to become operational in 2023.
Climate Action Approach
J&J’s strategy to procure renewable power aligns with its broader climate action approach. The company views climate change as being inextricably linked to human health -- climate change impacts health in new ways by changing infectious disease patterns and increasing the risk of drought and food insecurity.
J&J, a signatory of the Race to Zero/Business Ambition for 1.5 campaign, aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its value chain by 2045, and has set the following interim targets:
