News: Vodafone pens 10-year deal with major UK solar energy project - Business Green

Tom Gockelen-Kozlowski - Vodafone has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for solar power generated at sites across the midlands, representing the latest step in the firm's ambition to reach net-zero emissions across its UK operations by 2027.

Vodafone said the deal, which sees Centrica act as the power supplier and Mytilineos' renewables and storage development business unit act as the generator, would support the UK government's ambition to boost supplies of home-grown, clean and affordable energy.

The contract will support the development of three new solar farms located in Lincolnshire, Worcestershire, and Nottinghamshire. When fully operational, the sites are expected to supply more than 100-gigawatt hours of renewable electricity annually, enough to power a town of almost 30,000 households for a year.

The projects are expected to save around 25,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of taking 14,860 cars a year off the road. Approximately 55GWh of the green electricity generated by the projects will be provided to Vodafone UK.

"Achieving our ambitious net-zero targets is a critical part of our company strategy. Already, our entire business in the UK and Europe is powered by 100 percent renewable electricity," said Ahmed Essam, Vodafone's UK chief executive. "Today's announcement ensures a significant proportion of our energy requirement, for at least the next 10 years, is home-grown in the UK. I'm delighted Vodafone is helping to progress the development of new renewable power sites and supporting the delivery of more green energy to the UK grid."

Vodafone's latest PPA is the second such agreement signed by the company, following a deal with two onshore wind farms in Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, which together supply 75GWh of renewable electricity per year.

Combined, these assets will provide more than 20 percent of Vodafone UK's annual energy requirement, guaranteeing the business access to long-term, high-quality renewable electricity supplies.

Cassim Mangerah, Managing Director of Centrica Energy Marketing and Trading, said: 

"Building on our longstanding customer relationship with Vodafone, this deal further underlines our reputation as a leading player in the European energy markets. Through helping companies like Vodafone deliver on their green procurement strategies, we're pushing the green transition forward through supporting the development, management and optimisation of new renewable energy assets."

Vodafone said it had made "significant progress" on its net-zero and environmental agenda in the past 12 months, including switching to SIM cards made from recycled plastic, launching trade-in and refurbished handset offers as well as switching 60 percent of its fleet of vehicles to electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Source: Business Green