Massachusetts-based analytical instruments manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific plans to operate all its U.S. locations with 100-percent renewable electricity by 2026.
The company says it has signed a 20-year virtual power purchasing agreement with EDF Renewables, the spinoff of French energy giant EDF.
The deal includes the entire output of the 200-MW Millers Branch Solar project in Texas, which is expected to be operational by December 2025. The agreement will deliver about 545,000 MWh of renewable electricity per year from the solar project.
The renewables deal is essentially an offset. Thermo Fisher won’t be using the carbon-free power generated at Millers Branch directly, but its contract invests in the project and offsets the other forms of energy resourced consumed by the facilities.
Thermo Fisher’s previous deal with Enel North America for the Seven Cowboy wind project, combined with the new agreement, is expected to provide enough renewable power to cover all of its current electricity consumption in the U.S.
The transition to renewable electricity contributes to Thermo Fisher’s increased commitment to reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent (up from 30 percent) by 2030, based on a 2018 baseline. The new target, announced in December 2022, aligns with the Paris Agreement and its reduction targets with the 1.5˚C pathway, and fulfils Thermo Fisher’s commitment to the Business Ambition to 1.5˚C campaign.
“Transitioning away from fossil fuels and adopting renewable energy accelerates our progress toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Marc N. Casper, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thermo Fisher. “Our agreement with EDF Renewables further demonstrates our commitment to addressing climate change and creating a more sustainable world for all—a goal that is deeply rooted in our Mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.”
The company notes that it has also submitted its climate targets to the Science Based Targets initiative for validation and is among the first companies in its sector to do so.
