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ENGIE North America has begun supplying wind-generated electricity to Sonoco under a long-term Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) linked to the Big Sampson Wind Project in Texas, the companies announced.

The agreement covers an estimated 140 megawatts (MW) of electricity annually, equivalent to approximately 83 percent of Sonoco’s U.S. electricity consumption in 2025. The VPPA represents about 52 percent of the expected output capacity of the Big Sampson Wind Project and has a 15-year term, commencing upon the project’s commercial operation.

The project supports Sonoco’s corporate sustainability strategy, which includes a Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated goal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2030, compared with a 2020 baseline. According to the company, renewable energy credits associated with the VPPA are expected to reduce Sonoco’s baseline carbon emissions by approximately 19 percent.

Scott Byrne, Vice President of Global Sustainability at Sonoco, said the agreement will accelerate progress toward the company’s emissions reduction targets while supporting clean power delivery to local communities.

Dave Carroll, Chief Renewables Officer at ENGIE North America, stated that customer commitments such as Sonoco’s are contributing to the expansion of clean energy capacity on the U.S. grid amid rising electricity demand.

The Big Sampson Wind Project consists of 60 wind turbines, each with a generating capacity of 4.5 MW, according to ENGIE.

Source: energetica-india.net