Saint-Gobain signs power agreement in South Africa

Saint-Gobain has signed a renewable electricity supply agreement (power purchase agreement or PPA) with CVE, an independent French renewable energy producer, to secure about 140GWh of solar electricity in South Africa, over a 20-year period.

This PPA is expected to cover around 40 per cent of the electrical needs of Saint-Gobain’s four major industrial sites in the country, producing gypsum and mortars. The sites are located in Brakpan, Alrode and Germiston in the Gauteng region, as well as in Parrow, Western Cape. This will offset Saint-Gobain South Africa’s CO₂ emissions from electricity (Scope 2 emissions) by more than 6800tpa.  

Commenting on this PPA, Othman Benjelloun-Touimi, CEO of Saint-Gobain in Africa, said, “With this PPA, Saint-Gobain will further reduce its CO₂ emissions. This renewable energy project is a new milestone on the way to meeting Saint-Gobain’s commitment to reduce Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions by 33 per cent by 2030 - compared to 2017 - and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.”