ENGIE Resources Signs Nine-Year Renewable Energy Agreement with AstraZeneca to Power Texas Operations – SolarQuarter

Report on Renewable Energy Partnership between ENGIE and AstraZeneca

Executive Summary

ENGIE Resources, a subsidiary of ENGIE North America, has finalized a nine-year renewable energy supply agreement with the global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. This partnership is designed to supply solar power and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to AstraZeneca’s manufacturing facility in Coppell, Texas, through 2034. The initiative directly supports AstraZeneca’s corporate sustainability objectives and makes a significant contribution to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Agreement Details and Project Scope

• Parties Involved: ENGIE Resources (supplier) and AstraZeneca (recipient).
• Duration: A nine-year term, concluding in 2034.
• Energy Source: The Tyson Nick Solar Project, a 114 MW solar facility located in Lamar County, Texas.
• Objective: To provide clean, renewable energy for AstraZeneca’s manufacturing operations, thereby advancing the company’s decarbonization strategy.

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This strategic partnership directly advances the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by contributing to the following key goals:

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The agreement facilitates a direct increase in the share of renewable energy used in the industrial sector, ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for a major manufacturing site.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action: The initiative is projected to prevent an estimated 94,447 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually. This is a direct and measurable action to combat climate change, equivalent to avoiding the combustion of 105 million pounds of coal.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: By sourcing clean energy, AstraZeneca is upgrading its industrial infrastructure to be more sustainable and resilient. The development of the 114 MW solar facility also represents an investment in sustainable infrastructure.
4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The agreement demonstrates AstraZeneca’s commitment to sustainable production patterns by integrating renewable energy into its supply chain and reducing the environmental footprint of its operations.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The collaboration between ENGIE and AstraZeneca serves as a model for private-sector partnerships that mobilize resources and expertise to achieve sustainable development objectives.

Stakeholder Perspectives on Sustainability

• ENGIE Resources: Anne-Laure Chassanite, CEO, highlighted the agreement as an example of aligning climate ambition with meaningful action, emphasizing the company’s role in delivering renewable energy to support corporate decarbonization goals.
• AstraZeneca: Jim Fox, Senior Vice President, Americas Supply Operations, noted that securing renewable energy demonstrates leadership in reducing emissions and building a resilient supply chain, accelerating the transition to cleaner energy for the benefit of the business and its communities.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article’s central theme is a nine-year renewable energy supply agreement for solar power, directly contributing to the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The agreement is explicitly designed to reduce carbon emissions, with the article stating it is “expected to prevent 94,447 metric tons of CO₂ emissions.” This directly addresses the urgent need to combat climate change and its impacts.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • The article discusses sourcing power from a new 114 MW solar facility (the Tyson Nick Solar Project) to support a manufacturing site. This represents an investment in resilient and sustainable infrastructure and promotes clean technologies in industrial processes.
4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • AstraZeneca is adopting sustainable practices by securing renewable energy for its operations. This action reflects a commitment to sustainable production patterns and building a “resilient supply chain,” as mentioned in the article.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The entire article is about a partnership between two major corporations, ENGIE Resources and AstraZeneca, to achieve common sustainability and decarbonization goals. It highlights how “joint effort” and “collaboration” can accelerate the energy transition.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • The agreement to supply solar power from a 114 MW facility directly contributes to increasing the proportion of renewable energy used by AstraZeneca’s operations.
2. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
   • While not a national policy, AstraZeneca is integrating climate change measures into its corporate strategy and supply chain operations, reflecting the spirit of this target at a corporate level.
3. Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
   • The use of solar power for a manufacturing site is a direct application of clean technology to make industrial processes more sustainable.
4. Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
   • AstraZeneca, a large transnational company, is actively adopting sustainable practices through this renewable energy agreement to advance its “global sustainability goals.”
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • The agreement between ENGIE and AstraZeneca is a clear example of a private-private partnership aimed at achieving sustainable development objectives.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 7.2: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.
   • The article provides a specific capacity figure: the “114 MW solar facility.” This capacity directly contributes to the total energy consumption of AstraZeneca’s Coppell site, serving as a measurable indicator of the increased share of renewable energy.
2. Indicator for Target 13.2: Total greenhouse gas emissions per year.
   • The article explicitly states a quantifiable reduction in emissions: “94,447 metric tons of CO₂ emissions” prevented. This is a direct indicator of progress in climate action.
3. Indicator for Target 9.4: CO₂ emission per unit of value added.
   • While not explicitly calculated, the reduction of CO₂ emissions for a manufacturing site implies a lower carbon intensity for the products manufactured there, which is a key measure for this target.
4. Indicator for Target 12.6: Number of companies publishing sustainability reports.
   • The article implies this through its reference to AstraZeneca’s “global sustainability goals” and public announcement of the agreement. This action is a form of public reporting on sustainability initiatives.
5. Indicator for Target 17.17: Dollar value of financial and in-kind contributions committed to partnerships.
   • The “nine-year renewable energy supply agreement” itself represents a significant, long-term financial commitment and a formal structure for the partnership, serving as a concrete indicator.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: solarquarter.com