Renewable energies will be key in the development of the French group Air Liquide. No wonder, then, that the world leader in industrial gases announced on Tuesday the signing of a long-term renewable energy contract with Sweden’s Vattenfall, in the Netherlands, for offshore wind capacity. under construction of 115 MW. The group, through this contract, will thus be able to cover 30% of its annual electricity consumption in the Benelux, used for ” its current industrial and medical gas production assets.
The market welcomes the news. On the stock market, Air Liquide gained nearly 3% this morning, in the Top 3 of the strongest rises in the flagship index, and confirmed investors’ confidence in the company’s strategy of producing its industrial gases using weak electricity. in carbon and in a sustainable way.
A 15-year contract for start-up in 2025
The energy, intended for the French group, will be generated by Vattenfall, one of the European leaders in the production and distribution of electricity in Europe. The Swedish company will rely on its Dutch offshore wind farm Hollandse Kust Zuid. The site, under construction, should be operational from 2025, while the duration of the contract, signed between the two companies, is for fifteen years. This long-term purchase agreement is the largest concluded by Air Liquide to date and strengthens a partnership already in place with the Swede since March 2021.
Air Liquide reaffirms, through this collaboration, which will avoid the emission of 3.5 million tonnes of CO2, its intention to place renewable energies (EnR) at the heart of its sustainable development strategy. Pascal Vinet, member of the executive committee, adds that these renewable energies “ allow the group not only to reduce its carbon footprint, but also to meet the growing demand of its customers for competitive low-carbon solutions “.
Furthermore, this new wind project fits perfectly into Air Liquide’s objective of becoming one of the world leaders in the development of green hydrogen. To produce this carbon-free gas, it is indeed essential to have a substantial renewable electricity production capacity, considering the fact that renewable energies (including wind power) are by nature intermittent.
RG