Kellogg's signs PPA with Beryl Solar Farm

Kellogg’s Australia’s power purchase agreement (PPA) with New Energy Solar’s Beryl Solar Farm will offset the carbon impact of its Australian manufacturing operations for the next seven and a half years. The PPA is estimated to offset the amount of energy needed to produce 630 million boxes of Australian-made cereals for the duration of the agreement, displacing an estimated 139,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

Developed and operated by First Solar, Beryl Solar Farm is situated in the central west of NSW, contributing power directly into the National Electricity Market from which Kellogg’s acquires power.

The volume of electricity generated under the PPA and the volume of large-scale generation certificates sold to Kellogg’s will represent approximately 29% of Beryl Solar Farm’s production for 2019, with volumes in later years based on Kellogg’s anticipated electricity requirements.

Kellogg’s Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Esme Borgelt said, “We live in a country that is experiencing firsthand the effects of a changing and unpredictable climate and, as a business that manufactures in Australia, we have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment. We’re doing that through both continuous improvements in manufacturing to reduce our energy demand and developing innovative partnerships that help increase the available renewable energy in the system.

“Our partnership with the Beryl Solar Farm enables us to champion and support the clean energy revolution, helping to offset the greenhouse gas emissions from both our head office and manufacturing site in Australia, as part of our broader sustainability commitments,” she said.

The agreement with Kellogg’s increases the proportion of the output from the 110.9 MW Beryl Solar Farm that is committed to long-term PPAs. The energy generated by the solar farm is enough to meet the electricity needs of approximately 25,000 average NSW homes and, annually, is expected to displace approximately 153,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, while saving 37 million litres of water.

John Martin, CEO and Managing Director of New Energy Solar, said, “We are very pleased to be entering into this power purchase agreement with Kellogg’s Australia. Not only does it increase the proportion of Beryl’s output that is contracted, but it also demonstrates the appetite of Australian corporates for renewable power. Solar-generated electricity achieves both cost and environmental goals for Australian companies and their stakeholders, and we look forward to this partnership with Kellogg’s Australia.”

Tom Best, Director of Project Management in the Asia–Pacific region for First Solar, said, “As an experienced global enabler of corporate solar, we’re pleased that Kellogg’s has joined us on the journey to a sustainable energy future. Combining the attractive economics of a commercial PPA with the environmental benefits of zero-carbon power generation is a well-defined path for corporates to achieve their goals,” he said.

Image courtesy of Kellogg’s Australia