**London**: Schneider Electric unveils advancements in its Energize initiative, aimed at decarbonising the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. A multi-buyer Power Purchase Agreement will provide 245 GWh of renewable energy annually, reducing carbon emissions significantly and showcasing the power of industry collaboration for a sustainable future.
Schneider Electric, a leader in digital transformation concerning energy management and automation, has made notable advancements in its decarbonisation efforts within the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. The announcement highlights the progress of Energize, a collaborative initiative involving major pharmaceutical and healthcare firms and their suppliers, which has successfully formed its second cohort aimed at procuring renewable electricity collectively. This cohort follows the inaugural group established in the autumn of 2024.
Energize has formalised a multi-buyer Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with X-ELIO, a prominent energy development company. The renewable energy sourced from the Lorca Solar Project is anticipated to be operational by early 2026. Key sponsors involved in this venture include Haleon and GSK, alongside industry suppliers such as Gilead Sciences and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Together, they have secured an aggregated purchase of 245 GWh of renewable energy annually for a duration of ten years, which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 41,748 metric tons each year. This figure is comparable to the average electricity consumption of around 74,878 Spanish households per annum.
Thermo Fisher Scientific assumed the role of lead negotiator throughout the PPA negotiations, which facilitated this collaborative investment in renewable electricity. Konrad Bauer, Senior Vice President of Global Business Services at Thermo Fisher Scientific, commented, “As a company whose mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer; we know partnership is critical to achieving ambitious goals.” He highlighted that taking the lead in this cohort allowed the company to utilise insights gained from its own climate initiatives to further collective efforts toward net-zero emissions and achieve 100 percent renewable energy for its European operations.
Lisa Martin, Chief Procurement Officer at GSK, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are excited to be part of this Energize cohort that will add new renewable energy to the grid in Europe for our operations and our suppliers.” She identified the work through Energize, initiated in 2021, as a demonstration of the significant impact that partnerships can have in achieving business resilience, securing energy supplies, and ensuring long-term cost predictability.
Haleon’s VP of Sustainability, Sarah McDonald, asserted the company’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact, noting the interconnection between everyday health and planetary health. She remarked, “Collaboration is key to achieving our environmental sustainability goals and by partnering with like-minded organizations, we can amplify our impact and drive meaningful change.” The initiative is a core component of Haleon’s goal to attain net-zero carbon emissions from source to sale by 2040.
Gilead Sciences also underscored the significance of long-term investments and collaborative efforts towards sustainability. Joydeep Ganguly, Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations at Gilead Sciences, stated, “Our 2025 transition to 100% renewable energy rests on sourcing continued clean energy, and this program is key to meeting our net-zero operations goal by 2030.” He further emphasised that climate change necessitates a united front and that collaborative engagements are essential for meaningful progress.
The virtual PPA marks a re-commitment to transforming the pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chain through sustainable practices. Mirko Molinari, Chief Commercial Officer at X-ELIO, reiterated this commitment, expressing excitement about contributing to the ambitious outcomes set by the Energize programme.
Schneider Electric, which serves as an advisor to the companies within the Energize programme, highlighted the prominent challenge of supply chain emissions, which account for over half of the sector’s total emissions. The Energize initiative has drawn participation from twenty-four leading pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, aimed at providing suppliers with essential education and procurement support for renewable electricity at no charge.
Recently, Energize celebrated the completion of its first multi-buyer PPA, which secured 563.7 GWh of renewable electricity annually over a ten-year term. The successful establishment of this industry-wide initiative reinforces Schneider Electric’s goal to drive carbon reduction across the supply chain within the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, while also providing a model for other industries facing similar decarbonisation challenges.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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