Industrial, medical and specialty gases firm Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is buying wind power for its Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Cleburne, Texas that will be used with other energy sources to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the facility by approximately 15,840 metric tons per year.
Airgas started receiving wind power at the Texas plant from November 2021 from NextEra Energy Resources’ subsidiary. It is using around 20% of the renewable wind electricity purchased through an Air Liquide Power Purchase Agreement.
The Cleburne ASU produces liquid argon, nitrogen and oxygen. With the addition of wind power, it has become the first Airgas primary production unit to use energy mix and other locally-sourced renewable energy.
Airgas is continuing to search for new local renewable energy sources for other ASUs too. It will continue to increase the renewable energy mix for primary production units, with an aim to reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions by 33% by 2035 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Airgas CEO Marcelo Fioranelli said, “Airgas is very proud to be using new renewable energy sources to run our Air Separation Units, whether from local sources where available like Cleburne, Texas, or through Renewable Energy Certificates. We are reducing our carbon footprint at an accelerated pace and pushing forward to help our customers environmentally optimize their own processes.”
Airgas buys unbundled Renewable Energy Certificates for ASUs across the U.S.
