AkzoNobel and 3 Other Companies Establish Green Energy Consortium in Netherlands

    AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, DSM, Google & Philips- a jointly established green energy purchasing consortium have started receiving power from Bouwdokken wind farm in the Netherlands. 

    All four companies consume a substantial amount of power in the Netherlands, and by working together they are making a significant contribution to delivering on the Netherlands’ renewable energy target of 14% by 2020.

    In October 2016 and January 2017, the companies signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) that enabled construction of two Dutch wind farm projects – Krammer and Bouwdokken. These wind farms, both of which are located in the southwest of the Netherlands, have a total capacity of over 140 MW, enough to power approximately 140,000 households.

     Long-Term Power Purchase Agreements

     It is the first time that a group of multinationals in the Netherlands have teamed up to negotiate longterm PPAs directly with project developers, bypassing the involvement of an energy utility company. The Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI) Business Renewables Center, a leading independent authority on sustainability, says the consortium is among the earliest examples of aggregated corporate demand successfully participating in clean energy markets worldwide.

    Marcel Galjee, Energy Director at AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, on behalf of the consortium, said:

  “This marks the next big step towards a new way of supplying energy for Dutch industry. We brought together a group of companies that is united in its sustainability leadership. We believe it is of utmost importance to join forces and come up with innovative partnerships to achieve the sustainability goals of our companies as well as those set out in the Paris climate agreement.”

     Harry Coorens, VP Procurement Sustainability at Royal DSM, added:

  “The collaboration and progress as shown in this initiative is well recognized outside the Netherlands. I receive questions from all over the world to explain this success story. It is a prime example to show an industry drive and collaboration that supports a mutual goal; creating a cleaner environment for people today and generations to come. Looking back historically, it’s interesting to note that this project was developed near the Delta Works, another visionary feat that is highly regarded outside the Netherlands.”

     Renewable Source of Energy

    All four companies are also members of the RE100, a collaborative global initiative uniting more than 100 businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity, working to massively increase demand for – and delivery of – renewable energy.

    AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, which already sources some 45% of its energy from renewable sources, will use the green energy chiefly to produce chlorine, caustic soda and ‘green’ hydrogen at its site in Rotterdam, all essential raw materials in the chemical industry.

     Marc Oman, EU Energy Lead of Google Global Infrastructure said:

  “In 2017, Google purchased enough renewable energy to match 100 percent of our consumption for global operations. Success with this consortium plays a meaningful part in our global clean energy plans, and as a company, we are continuing to push innovation for corporate renewable energy procurement.”

     Simon Braaksma, Senior Director of Group Sustainability at Philips said: 

    “As a purpose-driven health technology company, a healthy planet is central to our mission, and we are making good progress to decouple economic growth from our environmental impact. All our operations in the United States are already powered by wind energy, and through this unique consortium, also our operations in the Netherlands will soon be completely powered by green electricity.”