Braskem has signed an agreement for the purchase of wind power from Casa dos Ventos, an investor in the development of wind power projects in Brazil. The corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) is linked to the construction of a new wind power plant and provides for the supply of renewable energy for 20 years, with emissions avoided in the period estimated at around 700 000 t of CO2. Casa dos Ventos will be responsible for directing the investment in building the new wind farm.
"This is our fourth long-term agreement for the acquisition of renewable energy and involves the largest volume acquired to date. With it, we will help build another power generation farm and strengthen our strategy of ensuring an energy matrix with a growing share of renewable energy in our operations and in the operations of the petrochemical chain, reaffirming our commitment to sustainable development. We are working hard to become a carbon neutral company by 2050, with the target of reducing by 15% our emissions by 2030, and this is just another step on this journey," said Gustavo Checcucci, Energy Director at Braskem.
In addition to acquiring energy, Braskem will have the option to acquire, subject to approval by government authorities, an ownership interest in the wind farms, creating the possibility for implementing a self-production model. "We created a custom model in which we are responsible for building and operating the wind farms, but we offer the possibility for our partners to become shareholders in these projects in the future. This is a win-win model, especially for the country, since it encourages an energy transition model for large consumers," explained Lucas Araripe, New Business Director at Casa dos Ventos.
Commitment to renewable energy
In 2020, Braskem announced two other major agreements for the acquisition of renewable energy. The first agreement, announced in March, with the France-based multinational Voltalia, will enable the expansion of the Serra do Mel Solar Complex located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, with generation capacity of 270 MW. The second agreement, announced in June, is a partnership with Canadian Solar that enables the construction of a solar plant in northern Minas Gerais state, with installed capacity of 152 MWp, which is sufficient to supply a city of 430 000 people.
In late 2018, the company signed an agreement with EDF Renewable for the purchase of wind power for 20 years. Through these four agreements, with Casa dos Ventos, Voltalia, Canadian and EDF Renewable, Braskem estimates that it will avoid around 1.5 million t of CO2 emissions.
Commitment to the carbon-neutral circular economy
Braskem announced a public commitment to expand its efforts to become a carbon neutral company by 2050. To achieve this target, the company's strategy includes initiatives for carbon reduction, offsetting and capture, expansion of the ‘I'm greenT’ portfolio, which comprises products focusing on the circular economy, as well as engagement over the next 10 years to reach the proper disposal of 1.5 million t of plastic waste.
Both Braskem and Casa dos Ventos are formal signatories to the Global Compact and to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The partnership, combined with Braskem's initiatives for the following decades, is aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement for controlling the impacts from climate change.
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Energy Global’s Winter 2020 issue
The Winter issue of Energy Global provides a range of technical articles covering technological advancements and future outlooks in the renewables sector, from companies including CorPower Ocean, Rystad Energy, Black & Veatch, Voltalia, FUERGY, and more.