Telecoms giant pens contract that is set to create five UK solar farms capable of generating 216GWH of clean power
Vodafone has announced it has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Centrica and Mytilineos to create a portfolio of new UK solar farms that will provide it with access to clean and affordable renewable electricity for the next 10 years.
The deal, which marks the second corporate solar PPA from the telco giant, covers five solar farms that are expected to supply 216GWH of electricity and displace more than 53,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking around 31,400 cars off the road, every year from 2024.
Vodafone will purchase a significant proportion of the power from the new solar farms in Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Dorset, with the remainder sold through Centrica's Energy Marketing & Trading business.
Combined with the firm's existing contracts, the new solar deal means around 44 per cent of Vodafone's annual energy requirement will come from UK-based renewable power sources by 2025. The PPAs come in conjunction with its existing green tariffs that mean 100 per cent of its grid electricity is already from certified renewable sources.
News of Vodafone's second solar deal follows a move last year to purchase a significant proportion of power from three new UK solar farms that will see it secure 109GWh of renewable electricity. The first of the projects is now fully operational with the other two set to follow suit in the coming months.
Combined with two onshore wind farms in Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, Vodafone UK said it has now secured access to renewable power from 10 sites across the UK.
Ahmed Essam, Vodafone's UK CEO, said the ongoing energy crisis had underlined the need for governments, businesses, and society to collaborate to accelerate the development of more domestic clean energy.
"Today's announcement ensures a significant proportion of our energy requirement, for at least the next 10 years, is home-grown in the UK," he said. "I'm pleased Vodafone is helping to progress the development of new renewable power sites and supporting the delivery of green energy to the UK grid. Importantly, this also gives Vodafone UK improved energy security and price certainty and will help us achieve net zero for our UK operations by 2027."
Chris O'Shea, CEO at Centrica, hailed the deal as further evidence of the crucial role PPAs can play in supporting the development of new renewables projects.
"Power purchase agreements such as this are going to be essential to the growth of renewable energy in the UK and Europe, helping secure guaranteed returns for developers, and encouraging growth in the sector," he said. "They are also key for helping large companies like Vodafone decarbonise its operations. We're delighted to build on our longstanding relationship with Vodafone and support its net zero journey."
* This article was originally published here
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