News

• Leading businesses speed energy transition at Climate Week NYC

  Announced at Climate Week NYC 2017 in New York, global financial institutions Citi and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have joined The Climate Group’s RE100 campaign with CDP, committing to source 100% renewable power across their global operations by 2020.

  Also joining the campaign are US drinks company Califia Farms, and UK investment management company Jupiter Asset Management.

  The announcements follow news last week that The Estée Lauder Companies, Kellogg Company, DBS Bank and Clif Bar & Company have also joined RE100 for Climate Week NYC 2017.

  110 of the world’s most influential companies are now generating demand for over 150 TWh renewable energy annually – more than enough to power New York State.

  Helen Clarkson, Chief Executive Officer, The Climate Group, said:

  “This year’s Climate Week NYC is jam-packed with the best examples of corporate leadership – from cleaner, smarter energy choices through to ambitious commitments on electric transport. Companies joining RE100 recognize that renewable power is a smart business decision. Their leadership will help to shape energy markets away from fossil fuels and deliver on the Paris Agreement at speed.”

  

  "We are right alongside our clients in supporting the growth of renewable energy development and production," said Michael Corbat, Chief Executive Officer, Citi. "We're committed to using renewable power sources for our global operations while continuing to provide financing for our clients' renewable energy and energy efficiency projects around the world." The bank is targeting 100% renewable electricity by 2020.

  JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced in July that it also plans to go 100% renewable by 2020. Matt Arnold, Global Head of Sustainable Finance, JPMorgan Chase & Co., said the company's commitment – coupled with plans to facilitate $200 billion in clean energy financing to 2025 – is "driven by ‘out-of-the-box’ innovators and a commercial approach that will deliver a more resilient energy supply chain."

  Jupiter Asset Management, a leading London-based investment management company, has a goal of sourcing 100% renewable energy for its electricity use by 2018. Maarten Slendebroek, Chief Executive Officer, Jupiter Asset Management, said: "As a long-term active investor, we believe that climate change and energy transition carry risks and opportunities that warrant our attention.”

  Califia Farms, a leading provider of 100% plant-based drinks, is committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2020. Eli Steltenpohl, Sustainability Manager, Califia Farms, said: “We want to show how better-for you products can be produced in a better way, regardless of your industry or footprint."

  

  The eight newcomers to RE100 were announced on stage at ‘VELOCITY – Accelerating Climate Action’, a unique event at Climate Week NYC, which saw The Climate Group partner with VICE Impact, Formula E and Spring Studios to champion ambitious climate action to business and governments.

  There were high level speakers from RE100 member companies, including AB InBev, DBS Bank, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, H&M, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Kellogg Company, and Philips Lighting – with H&M also speaking on their EP100 commitment on energy productivity.

  

  Diane Holdorf, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellogg, said the business risks posed by climate change impacts was a reason to act on renewable energy, and underlined that consumers expect global brands to act responsibly. 

  David Tulauskas, Director of Sustainability, General Motors, added that young people had high expectations of their employees, and said that GM would power its Ohio and Indiana plants entirely with wind energy - "a fantastic show of commitment", according to The Climate Group's CEO Helen Clarkson.

  Michael Norton, Managing Director of Real Estate, JP Morgan highlighted the cost benefits of taking action, and the falling cost of renewables being a key factor in the company’s decision to target 100% renewable power by 2020.

  Vanessa Rothschild, Sustainability Business Controller at H&M - a member of both RE100 and EP100, The Climate Group's energy productivity campaign - said: "We want to make fashion sustainable and sustainability fashionable, influencing others too." She continued: "First of all we reduce the amount of energy we use, then ensure what we do use comes from renewable sources."

  Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mahindra Group said "RE100 and EP100 work fantastically well together - and for an automaker that makes business sense."

  RE100 recently celebrated its 100 members milestone, drawing praise from global climate leaders including Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and former US Vice President Al Gore.

  The Climate Group also launched its new EV100 initiative, to boost the uptake of electric vehicles across the world, and make electric transport the new normal. 

• Countdown to Climate Week NYC 2017: record number of global companies to source 100% renewable power

  Days before Climate Week NYC 2017 gets underway in New York City, The Estée Lauder Companies, Kellogg Company, DBS Bank Ltd and Clif Bar & Company have joined RE100 - the 100% renewable power campaign for businesses, led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP.

  The four companies have all committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity across their global operations, and are helping to drive important changes in electricity markets.

  The 106 members of the campaign are now taking the total demand for renewable electricity to around 150 TWh annually – more than enough to power New York State.

  The Climate Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Helen Clarkson, welcomed the news: “By joining our campaigns, corporates like The Estée Lauder Companies, Kellogg, DBS Bank and Clif Bar are demonstrating the highest level of commitment to climate action and setting an example at Climate Week NYC."

  

  She continued, "But they’re not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts – renewable power makes business sense, and corporate leadership is absolutely key to delivering on the Paris Agreement at speed.”

  The Estée Lauder Companies, a global leader in beauty, has joined RE100 with a commitment to source 100% of its global electricity consumption from renewable energy technologies by 2020 – the company powered its operations with 45% renewable electricity in 2016.

  Nancy Mahon, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability, The Estée Lauder Companies, said: “As a global company and citizen, we at The Estée Lauder Companies strongly believe that we all play a part in the fight against global climate change. By joining RE100, we are committing to sourcing 100% of our global electricity consumption from renewable energy technologies by 2020."

  She added, "We look forward to partnering with RE100 as we work together to protect our planet and ensure a healthier world for generations to come.”

  Kellogg, a leading maker of breakfast cereals and snacks, has joined RE100 with a goal to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2050, aligned with its commitment to reduce its direct greenhouse gas emissions by 65%. Having already achieved 20% renewable electricity through contracts with local utilities in Europe and the U.S. that are bringing more renewables to local grids, the company has an interim target for reaching 40% by 2020.

  Diane Holdorf, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellogg Company, said: “As one of the first ten companies to have approved science-based greenhouse gas emissions targets in 2015, we’ve already invested in energy efficiency and low carbon technologies. Going 100% renewable is the obvious next step; lowering business risk, generating financial savings, and helping other companies make the switch as well.”

  DBS Bank Ltd, a leading financial services group in Asia, has joined RE100 with a commitment to 100% renewable power and an interim goal of transferring its Singapore operations (65% of global total) to renewable electricity by 2030. The bank will take advantage of RE100 knowledge sharing activities to identify options for going renewable in other markets.

  Mike Power, Chief Operating Officer for Technology and Operations, DBS Bank, and co-chair of the bank's Sustainability Council, said: “Adding renewables to our energy mix will complement our existing energy efficiency initiatives and accelerate our journey towards becoming an environmentally responsible corporate citizen. Joining RE100 will provide us the opportunity to collaborate with experts and other RE100 members to explore various renewable energy options available in the markets we operate in.”

  Clif Bar & Company, an American maker of organic foods and drinks, has been purchasing renewable electricity certificates equivalent to 100% of its total operations for the last 10 years, and is now exploring more direct ways of sourcing renewable energy.

  Kevin Cleary, Chief Executive Officer, Clif Bar & Company, said: “For over 15 years, Clif Bar has remained strongly committed to using renewable energy and taking climate action. We source 100% green power for our operations, and promote renewables among our employees, our supply chain partners and the public.

  He added: "Climate action simply demands our collective action, and coalitions like RE100 send a clear message that the global business community knows our future success depends on a low carbon economy and that we will use our combined influence to shift the market.”

  RE100 recently celebrated its 100 members milestone, drawing praise from global climate leaders including Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and former US Vice President Al Gore.

  Diane Holdorf and Mike Power will be speaking at VELOCITY - a business focused event by The Climate Group during Climate Week NYC, which will also see the launch of The Climate Group's new EV100 initiative, to boost the uptake of electric vehicles across the world, and make electric transport the new normal. 

• Mars invests $1 billion in sustainability to help "fix" global business supply chain

  RE100 member and global confectionery producer Mars, Inc. has pledged to invest about US$1 billion to slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its supply chain by 67% by 2050 – and to be at the forefront of the new low carbon economy.

  Unveiled today, the 'Sustainable in a Generation Plan' builds on the company’s efforts which have already led to a 29% reduction of its emissions against 2007 levels. Mars wants to be fossil fuel free by 2040 in its own operations, and is increasing its renewable energy supply across its sites worldwide to reach this target.

  “We’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do but also because it’s good business,” said Grant Reid, CEO, Mars, Inc., commenting on the plan. “We expect to have a competitive advantage from a more resource efficient supply chain, and from ensuring that everyone in our supply chain is doing well.”

  “We congratulate Mars on their leadership in delivering a cleaner, prosperous economy,” said Amy Davidsen, Executive Director – North America, The Climate Group. “Mars was one of the first members of RE100 and is at the forefront of an unstoppable market force to transition to 100% renewable energy."

  She continued, “This announcement comes less than two weeks before the opening of Climate Week NYC, the collaborative space for businesses and policymakers to implement the Paris Agreement, in order to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and avoid the most severe impacts of climate change.

  "We look forward to major players like Mars showing how their continuing ambitious climate leadership drives innovation, jobs and prosperity.” 

  

  A collaborative effort

  Today's announcement from Mars is also a call to fellow business leaders, NGOs and governments to put sustainability at the heart of their operations. Mars is a proud member of RE100, The Climate Group’s campaign with CDP bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable power.

  Mars is already using or purchasing renewable electricity to cover 100% of its operations in Belgium, Brazil, Lithuania, the UK and the US. Next year, it is planning to add Austria, Czech Republic, France, Mexico, Spain and Poland to this list.

  “We must work together, because the engine of global business – its supply chain – is broken,” and requires “transformational, cross-industry collaboration to fix it,” said Grant Reid.

  "Business needs to look beyond our own operations to transform the entire value chain."

  In fact, to date the majority of Mars’ emissions – approximately 65% – come from its own supply chain, which includes about one million employees. Working with suppliers to transition to clean power will help to reduce GHG emissions while future-proofing Mars’ own operations.

  Mars has set an interim target to reduce total GHG emissions across its entire value chain by 27% by 2025, while reducing by half water use in excess of sustainable levels and holding flat the total. The plan will also help farmers in transforming how they grow crops in a more environmentally-friendly way, while increasing their income at the same time.

  During Climate Week NYC, the company will also unveil a new plan to engage consumers in the climate agenda – featuring its iconic M&M’s characters.

  “It’s time for companies to accelerate their game and work together, and work together with governments and civil society,” concluded Grant Reid. “This is a world issue and it requires all actors to work together.”

• Blog: Our journey to 100% renewable electricity: Infosys leading on corporate sourcing in India

  Leading Indian IT company Infosys Limited has an ambitious goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity. Here, Rakesh Bohra, Sr. Associate Manager – Green initiatives & Infrastructures, shares the company’s progress and experiences.

  As the global population continues to rise, many countries are dependent on fossil fuel imports to meet their soaring energy needs. But this is steadily changing. Businesses and industry – alongside Government – have a vital role to play in addressing environmental issues and climate change by adding much more renewable energy to the mix.

  Demonstrating leadership

  Infosys recognized long ago that it is paradoxical to have economic growth without addressing environmental issues. Infosys voluntarily became one of the first companies in the world to set a goal of becoming carbon neutral, reducing per capita electricity consumption by 50% (against 2008 baseline year), and sourcing 100% renewable power. As a responsible and environmentally conscious organization, we were also the first corporate in India to join RE100.

  This fiscal year, we have achieved our per capita electricity reduction target and made significant progress on renewable energy, considering the challenges posed by government policies and open access regulations. Our total electricity consumption in the year 2016-17 was 267 gigawatt hours 44.6% is from renewable energy sources, including ~15 megawatts (MW) capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations at different locations. We aim to source 50% of our electricity requirements through renewable energy before the end of the year and we remain committed to achieving all our clean energy and climate-related targets as quickly as possible.

  We have collaborated with renowned research institutes and laboratories in India and abroad including the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, the Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to enhance the performance and quality of our in-house solar PV installations. This fiscal year we are also planning to set up a 30-40 MW solar PV project in Karnataka State, and we aim to increase our installed solar PV capacity significantly for captive usage in the near future.

  The business case

  100% renewable energy is technically possible, economically viable, socially imperative and environmentally inevitable.

  In our experience, going with renewable electricity makes good sense; firstly, it is economically feasible to set up your own renewable power generation facility, and secondly it reduces carbon footprints thereby allowing you to brand your social environmentally conscious image in market.

  If planned consciously, today, renewables have a very attractive payback period with the product life of most of the equipment being more than 20 years. They also provide lower operating costs in the long run, eliminating the associated risks of escalating energy prices and unstable power supply.

  

  Infosys Hyderabad Grid Connected 6.6 MW solar PV plant

  As the cost of renewable energy is falling and rapidly attaining parity with grid power, it makes commercial sense for corporates to go 100% on renewables. With advancement in technology and considering economy of scale, the cost of storage systems is also going to fall significantly in the coming years, thus making renewable electricity a more attractive and reliable energy solution.

  The mechanisms we use to progress our RE100 commitment include buying green power from open access and at the same time setting up our own solar PV plants. But to get many more companies transitioning to 100% renewable power, we also need to develop a mature market for renewable energy procurement and trading.

  In India, we have challenges in our policy framework that make it harder for companies to pursue ambitious goals like RE100. For example, Uniform Central open access policy must be carefully planned, otherwise different open access charges and loss factors make it very difficult for corporates with operational presence in different states to be successful in achieving 100% renewable electricity.

  Banking and wheeling charges and transmission losses, and the absence of a net energy settlement/scheduling mechanism is also a big challenge. Favorable policies such as exemption in wheeling and banking charges, cross subsidies, and access to withdraw banked green power anytime during the 24 hours of business operations should be translated across all states to enable larger adoption of renewable energy for big corporates.

  I firmly believe that initiatives like RE100 must be embraced by governments of all countries. There are considerable efforts from the Indian government to include renewable energy in mainstream power generation sources, but a specific policy around corporate sourcing of renewables needs to be developed to persuade more corporates to invest. India has a target of achieving 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2022, so such a clear policy framework for corporates will add great value in achieving this national goal.

  With tremendous potential for renewables in India, the market needs pioneers to demonstrate its viability. For Infosys, it’s not just important for the company to be green; we want to lead the way in creating a clean energy future for the development of society as a whole. We are constantly sharing our best practices with the industry and wider communities to demonstrate that these interventions make a strong business case for others to emulate.

  Infosys was a guest speaker at the RE100 roundtable at the Business & Climate Summit, New Delhi.

• Scaling corporate renewable electricity demand In India - RE100 convenes businesses in New Delhi

  In a bid to highlight the role of corporate leadership on renewables in developing a cleaner economy, The Climate Group has hosted a RE100 high-level roundtable event, ‘Scaling Corporate Renewable Electricity Demand In India’.

  An official side event of the Business and Climate Summit 2017, the roundtable was supported by Edison Energy and saw participation from not only RE100 members such as Infosys, Dalmia Cement, Swiss Re, H&M and IKEA Group, but also from other major companies like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel and DBS Bank. 

  Emphasizing the business case for corporates to transition to 100% renewable power, Jarnail Singh, India Director at The Climate Group said, “RE100 stands testimony to the fact that corporate demand for renewable power is bringing forth a shift in electricity markets, globally. Consequently, renewables will become the new normal for businesses in future.”

  

  The RE100 event gets underway.

  RE100 member companies shared learnings from their transition to 100% renewables, explaining how it makes business sense. Topics included factors influencing organizational decision making, financing of corporate renewable electricity projects, and varying regulatory, policy and technology options available in India.

  Sharing his insights on about the prime motivators and catalysts behind Dalmia Cement’s decision to target 100% renewable electricity, Mahendra Singhi, Group CEO and Whole Time Director, Dalmia Bharat Ltd. said, “social responsibility and carbon pricing helped to convince board members to invest in renewable electricity”.

  Mr. Singhi’s views were echoed by Bose Varghese, Head – Green Initiatives, Infosys, who emphasized the growing need for corporates to go 100% renewable, while analyzing common risk scenarios, and legal and regulatory frameworks. He said that 45% of Infosys’ current electricity demand is being met through renewable sources, 80% of which is purchased through Open Access.

  

  Group CEO and Whole Time Director, Dalmia Bharat Ltd. Mahendra Singhi shares the business case for renewables.

  Another session focused on the different financing mechanisms for renewable electricity procurement in India. Uday Khemka, Chair of the Clean Energy Financing Forum (CEFF) and Gopal Vemuri, Director of Capital Markets at Edison Energy shared financing options for corporate sourcing of renewable electricity, and the discussions were moderated by Vandana Gomber, Global Policy Editor at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

  Mr. Gomber began the session with a presentation on global corporate PPA volume trends and top corporate off-takers of renewable energy in 2017. These included RE100 member companies Apple, AB InBev and Unilever.

  Mr. Khemka highlighted the importance of finance and the need to bring in sustainable long term solutions. He underlined the importance of business, financial institutions, government and energy distribution companies (DISCOMs) to work together while emphasising on the “absolutely critical” role that DISCOMS play.

  Mr. Vemuri added that India has a great opportunity for going 100% renewable – but said that financial and policy transparency would be paramount for achieving it.

  The final session was a deep dive into the operational aspects of implementing corporate renewable electricity projects and was led by CDP, technical delivery partner for RE100. The session answered some basic questions with regards to technical criteria and other guidance, as well as documents for assisting companies to make credible renewable electricity consumption claims, as part of the RE100 campaign. It also highlighted the ground-level operational aspects of sourcing, installing and integrating renewable electricity in different scenarios.

  CDP went on to champion RE100 webinars providing market insights from expert speakers and peer companies. Binu Sekhar, VP Corporate Real Estate & Logistics, Swiss Re, a founding member of RE100, spoke of bullish trends in the renewable energy market in India, and stated that Swiss Re will achieve its RE100 target before 2020.

  RE100, led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, brings together “a growing group of major, influential companies from around the world who have set a target to source 100% renewable electricity. The global campaign recently reached its 100 member milestone, with companies from a wide range of sectors and operations around the world creating around 146 terawatt-hours (TWh) in demand for renewable electricity annually – about as much as it takes to power Poland or New York State.

  Here more from Infosys in this blog by Rakesh Bohra, Sr. Associate Manager – Green initiatives & Infrastructures.

• Blog: EU policy - opening markets for corporate renewable energy buyers

  The current update of the European Union’s energy policy framework will impact the European energy market for years to come. As many leading businesses look to source 100% renewable power globally, our Head of RE100, Sam Kimmins, blogs on an important change needed to the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII), to maximize corporate uptake of renewables in Europe.

  RE100 is a global collaborative initiative bringing together over 100 influential and multinational businesses that are committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity globally. Together, they represent more than enough renewable electricity demand to power Poland.

  These companies have made this highest-level commitment because they know that renewable electricity makes long-term business sense. The technology is ready, unsubsidized costs are competitive, and companies are ready to invest at scale.

  Corporate sourcing of renewables represents a major new flow of capital and finance into Europe’s renewable electricity infrastructure. Much of the electricity used by our members in Europe is already from renewable sources, and they are leading the way through a combination of power purchase agreements (PPAs), on-site generation, green contracts and certificates.

  IKEA Group, a founding member of RE100, owns more wind turbines than stores and is aiming to produce as much energy as it consumes by the end of the decade. The company has also invested an impressive $1.78 billion (€1.5 billion) in purchasing its own wind and solar power generation equipment since 2009 and in FY15 committed a further $715 billion (€600 million). 

  Last year, Mars, Inc. signed a PPA for a wind farm in Scotland to power its entire UK operations.

  RE100 members Royal DSM, Google, Royal Philips and AkzoNobel joined forces to sign an exciting joint PPA for 350 gigawatt hours per year in the Netherlands.

  And Microsoft, which has invested more than $3 billion in Europe to date, has continued to champion renewables. John Frank, Vice President EU Government Affairs, Microsoft said back in May: “As our cloud continues to grow, so does the energy consumption of the data centers that power the cloud. We are committed to using more renewable energy to meet those needs, and we believe that this is good for our business, the economy, and the environment." 

  He added: "We’re pleased to play a part in supporting this important and growing sector in the EU and welcome new policies that enable us to develop and deploy greater amounts of renewable energy.”

  But not every business is sourcing renewables in Europe yet – how can forthcoming changes to the EU’s energy policy framework accelerate the growth of this movement, boosting business competitiveness, while delivering on the Paris Agreement?

  

  Let’s be clear – corporate buyers are not looking for subsidies. Renewables are increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels. What we need is a clear, transparent and fair electricity market with long-term stability, that enables companies to purchase or generate renewable electricity for all of their operations in Europe.

  Over the last year, RE100 reports and events supported by our members have helped to raise awareness among Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The answer now lies in a recent amendment to the Clean Energy for All Europeans package, tabled by MEPs José Blanco López and Eva Kaili.

  Amendment 757 to the Renewable Energy Directive Article 15 Paragraph 9 (below) provides for the clear, transparent and fair electricity market needed to innovate new renewable electricity investment models, scale up investments and achieve our shared renewable electricity ambitions.

  Amendment 757 to the Renewable Energy Directive Article 15 Paragraph 9 full text:

  Member States shall carry out an assessment of the barriers to and the potential of the purchase of energy from renewable sources by corporate customers in their territories and shall set up an enabling regulatory and administrative framework for the growth of this new way to finance renewables and facilitate their uptake.

   In particular, such enabling framework shall comprise the possibility for all customers, individually or through aggregators, to sign one or more single-buyer or multiple-buyer power purchase agreements with on-site, nearby and off-site electricity generating installations using renewable sources. Such power purchase agreements shall be deemed compatible with competition rules and with support schemes for renewable energy and shall not be subjected to burdensome procedures and excessive costs. Member States may allow a single power purchase agreement to be signed between an electricity generating installation using renewable sources and a corporate customer to cover the consumption of multiple sites belonging to the corporate customer.

  RE100 is calling on MEPs and EU Member States to support this Amendment because it makes provision for corporate buyers – an important new market that can drive rapid growth in renewable electricity investment.

  Specifically, it:

  • focuses on the removal of market barriers and burdensome costs, to enable a more effective, competitive market in which corporate customers can purchase electricity from the provider of their choosing;
  • provides a flexible but enforceable framework through which EU Member States can develop locally appropriate solutions;
  • encourages competition and innovation in electricity markets;
  • recognizes the importance of market innovation (e.g. PPA models) in enabling a wide range of corporate off-takers and renewable electricity suppliers to participate in the renewable electricity market; and,
  • enables the market to play a stronger role in driving the development of EU renewable electricity capacity well beyond the modest ambition of 27% by 2030.

  The inclusion of Amendment 757 will strengthen REDII’s ability to deliver a renewable electricity system that meets the needs of a growing number of corporate buyers, attracts corporate investment, and shows global leadership in energy market innovation.

  We’re looking to everyone in the European Parliament to support its progress though the coming months, to help many more companies to reach their goal of becoming 100% renewable.

  RE100 is brought to you by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP.

• Newsletter: Climate Week NYC, knowledge sharing, and dates for your diaries

  

  Climate Week NYC 2017: what's happening

  Climate Week NYC 2017's high profile Opening Ceremony will take place on September 18, bringing together global leaders from government and business to explore the theme of 'Innovation. Jobs. Prosperity.' By invitation only.

  September 19 will see the event 'VELOCITY - Accelerating Climate Action' feature exciting new partnerships and high level speakers from business and government, as well as the launch of The Climate Group's new electric mobility campaign, EV100. There will be updates from RE100 and sister campaign EP100, and discussions on scaling and speeding the energy transition. By invitation only.

  Click here for the full list of events at Climate Week NYC (to go live this week).

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  RE-Source 2017 & private members' event

  This event, taking place October 10-11, will bring together businesses, renewable energy developers and senior decision-makers to discuss scaling up renewables in Europe, the latest intelligence on PPAs, and opportunities to network with solution providers.

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  Vail Resorts joins RE100

  Vail Resorts is the latest company to join RE100, committing to sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and helping to deliver on its 'Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint' by the same year. Vail Resorts is a global leader in the skiing industry and feels a special obligation to protect the environment, which is central to its business.      

  RE100 webinar: Japan's renewable energy market

  RE100 held a webinar on the Japanese renewables market, focused on the new J-Credit scheme through which the Government certifies as credits the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced through renewable energy. The guest speaker was Kae Takase, Project Manager, CDP Japan. 

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  RE100 webinar: How corporates can supercharge progress towards Paris goal

  Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, The Climate Group presented to 12 regional and state governments, on the growth of corporate demand for renewable electricity. The webinar explored how corporate sourcing can help to deliver on government climate targets, and how governments can support corporate sourcing by improving the policy and market environment.  

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  Dates for your diaries

  August 24, 2017: RE100 - BRC joint webinar: 'Bringing renewables to the Southeast US' - A new inter-state transmission line will open up new procurement options in the region. Mark Dyson, Manager at the Rocky Mountain Institute and Kenneth Davies, Director of Renewable Energy at Microsoft will present this new initiative and explain how members of RE100 can get involved.

  August 30, 2017: RE100 roundtable, 'Scaling corporate renewable electricity use in India', New Delhi, India - This is an official affiliate event of this year's Business & Climate Summit, including speakers from Dalmia Cement, Infosys, and Swiss Re who will share success stories and learnings around transitioning to 100% renewable power in India. By invitation only.

  September 5, 2017: Beyond Solar Impulse, Brussels, Belgium - This is a film projection and debate with Prof. Bertrand Piccard (explorer, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation), Jean-Pierre Clamadieu (CEO of Solvay) and Carlos Moedas (Commissioner of Research and Innovation at the European Commission). Register here. 

  September 18-24, 2017: Climate Week NYC, New York, US - The Climate Group's annual flagship event will gather business and government leaders to demonstrate how continued investment in clean energy can drive 'Innovation. Jobs. Prosperity'. Following the Opening Ceremony on Monday 18, there will be a business focused event on Tuesday 19.

  September 2017 (date tbc): RE100 peer-to-peer learning webinar with Tata Motors - Abhay Pathak, Sustainability Lead at Tata Motors Limited, will present a case study of the company's Dharwad (KA) plant in India, which achieved a 91% renewable electricity share last year. 

  October 5, 2017: RE100 - Gold Standard joint webinar on new Gold Standard label for renewable energy market instruments - This webinar will address the need for a quality label for renewable electricity certificates, and discuss how RE100 members can use it to demonstrate they are adding new renewable energy capacity to the grid. 

• Newsletter: 100 members moment, EU energy policy and what's coming up

  RE100 reaches 100 members milestone

  Carlsberg Group, AkzoNobel, AXA, and Burberry joined RE100 this month, taking the total number of members to 100 and the total demand for renewable electricity to 146 TWh - enough to power Poland or New York State. 

  In celebration of the milestone, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa congratulated the members and praised the leadership of employees at all levels. There was also recognition from Former US Vice President Al Gore.

  Media coverage included Bloomberg, CNBC, and The Independent, plus the Southern Weekly in China, and key trade titles including The Grocer, Insurance Journal, and The Business of Fashion.

  The Climate Group’s Head of RE100, Sam Kimmins reflected on RE100’s growth and future potential. Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group called on companies to encourage their suppliers to switch to renewable electricity, and Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP highlighted the importance of transparency and disclosure in tracking progress.

   

  Cees ’t Hart, CEO of Carlsberg Group said RE100 was “an opportunity to share best practice, to learn from each other” and to “inspire other companies to follow us in our aim”. There were also video messages from AXA, AkzoNobel and founding member IKEA, and a blog from Tata Motors.

  And the momentum continues: in the last few days Dutch biotechnology company Corbion became the 101st company to join RE100. Further announcements are expected over the coming weeks.

  

  Philips Lighting first with renewable energy certificates in the Gulf

  Philips Lighting has become the first company to purchase renewable energy certificates in the Gulf using the I-REC Standard. The energy efficiency leader will source traceable renewable electricity from a solar park in Dubai. Media coverage included CNBC and Clean Technica.   

  The Climate Group becomes founding member of GECCO

  The Climate Group has become a founding member of the Green Electricity Consumption Cooperative Organization (GECCO), launched at the recent Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM8) in Beijing, to pilot voluntary renewable electricity certificates in China. We believe the initiative will help RE100 members to transfer their Chinese operations to renewable power, also helping to deliver on the Government’s climate goals.                 

  European clean energy package - RE100 activities

  We are facilitating meetings between RE100 members and MEPs from Sweden, Latvia, Denmark and Ireland, to help bring about changes to the Clean Energy For All Europeans package that will increase corporate sourcing of renewables in Europe. 

  

  RE100 webinar: 'Overview of solar net metering policy (India)'

  RE100 has held a markets and policy webinar for Gold and Silver members about the net metering policies of Indian states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The guest speaker was Deepak Krishnan, Manager, Energy Program, WRI India. 

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  DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES

  August 24, 2017: RE100-BRC joint webinar: 'Bringing renewables to the Southeast US' - A new inter-state transmission line will open up new procurement options in the region. Speakers from the Rocky Mountain Institute and corporate buyers will present this new initiative and let RE100 members know how to get involved. 

  August 30, 2017: RE100 roundtable, 'Scaling corporate renewable electricity use in India', New Delhi, India - To take place immediately ahead of this year's Business & Climate Summit, The Climate Group has invited members of RE100 to share their success stories and learnings around transitioning to 100% renewable power in India.                   

  September 18-24, 2017: Climate Week NYC, New York, US - The Climate Group's annual flagship event will gather business and government leaders to demonstrate how continued investment in clean energy can drive innovation, jobs and prosperity. Following the Opening Ceremony on Monday 18, there will be a business focused event on Tuesday 19.             

  September 2017 (date tbc): RE100 peer-to-peer learning webinar with Tata Motors - Abhay Pathak, Sustainability Lead at Tata Motors Limited, will present a case study of the company's Dharwad (KA) plant in India, which achieved a 91% renewable electricity share last year.          

  October 10, 2017: RE100 members event, Brussels, Belgium - This will be a bespoke RE100 peer-learning event, on the first day of RE-Source 2017. 

   

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  Are you looking for an effective, impactful way to show your colleagues and customers what RE100 is all about? Please share our brand new RE100 video - using the hashtag #RE100 on Twitter.

  
  
  

• 101 members strong: Corbion joins RE100 in pursuit of sustainable and circular economy

  Dutch biotechnology company Corbion has become the 101st business to join RE100, the leadership campaign led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, uniting the world’s biggest and most influential companies committed to 100% renewable power.

  Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid and lactic acid derivatives, and a leader in functional blends containing enzymes, emulsifiers, minerals, and vitamins. Already sourcing 20% of its electricity from renewable energy, the company has set an interim goal of reaching 50% by 2020.

  To begin its journey to this interim goal, Corbion has recently installed 462 solar panels across two separate buildings at its Gorinchem warehouse in the Netherlands. The installation will generate enough renewable electricity to power 25 homes and save 61kg in CO2 emissions annually – the equivalent to driving a car around the world eight times.

  “I congratulate Corbion on putting words into action, with the installation of solar PV,” said The Climate Group’s Head of RE100, Sam Kimmins.

  “Solar PV investments can pay back in just a few years, which means that in addition to reducing the company’s carbon emissions, they can lead to long term financial savings. Renewables make business sense and are fast becoming the norm for forward-thinking companies.”

   

  Diana Visser, Sustainability Director, Corbion, said, “We believe in a transition from a linear to a circular economy, where resources are continuously recycled and reused. Of course a circular economy needs to be powered by renewable energy and this is why we have started our journey and also why we have joined RE100.”

  She continued, “RE100 is a great initiative, it’s a platform to show different companies that are committed to renewable electricity, to show that there is demand for renewable electricity, and in this way we can accelerate the transition.”

  Corbion’s announcement follows the news that RE100 recently reached its 100 members milestone, with companies from a wide range of sectors and operations around the world creating around 146 terawatt-hours (TWh) in demand for renewable electricity annually – about as much as it takes to power Poland or New York State.

  

  Helen Clarkson, CEO, The Climate Group said “Renewables are now a more affordable option for business. They also offer greater control over energy costs and hedge against rising prices of fossil fuels. All of this increases competitiveness while delivering on sustainability goals and cutting carbon emissions.”

  “The more companies that make the switch the faster we will move to a strong, low carbon economy supporting millions of jobs.”

  To find out more about the members of RE100, click here.

• Blog: Going 100% renewable in India -Tata Motors is helping to drive the energy transition

  As RE100 reaches a milestone of 100 member companies, Arvind Bodhankar, CSO, Tata Motors, reflects on why it makes sense to transition to 100% renewable electricity and future proof business operations.

  At a time when the onus lies equally on companies and governments to demonstrate climate action, manufacturers, including car manufacturers, are very keen on moving towards renewable energy. This is not only necessary, given the need for collective efforts to address climate change, but also makes good business sense.

  Going 100% renewable implies establishing reliable sources for procuring renewable energy, setting up solar and wind energy farms at manufacturing plants, and consciously moving away from fossil fuels.

  Looking at the policy measures in India that can support this intent, open access regulations need to be consistent across states. Even in states with open access, the rules can effectively be unviable. 

  There also seems to be a lack of clarity on transmission and wheeling charges, taxes in different states and on expected trends. There are challenges around power banking and net metering is capped at 1 megawatt (MW) which is discouraging to large on-site projects. This makes it harder for companies in India to self-generate renewable energy. Looking at government’s commitment, I am confident that it will ease out in coming days.

  On the other hand, there is much to be gained by engaging in long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), as power becomes more affordable due to falling tariffs while the cost of grid electricity rises.

  

  Photo credit: Tata Motors

  Achievements so far

  We joined RE100 in March 2016, with an ambition to source 100% renewable electricity. It not only helped reduce the environmental impacts of our manufacturing operations but also helped us in maintaining the Tata Group’s commitment on UN Sustainable Development Goals. Since then, many others have followed our lead, and the campaign now unites 100 of the world’s most influential companies.

  On joining RE100, Tata Motors had already advanced several steps down the path to renewables, enabling us to source around 8% of our electricity from renewable sources in Financial Year (FY) 2015-16 and adding about 8.25 % in 16-17. We currently procure or generate around 4,818 MWh of renewable power.

  Presently, our renewable electricity consumption stands at 16.25%. Our progress comes from both on-site and off-site approaches, but mostly from renewable electricity sourced from the grid, as space will always be a constraint for renewable energy installations on-site.

  In addition to increasing our own green power capacity, Tata Motors is working with vendors and suppliers to increase their uptake of renewables. In FY 2016-17, we influenced our suppliers by conducting awareness sessions on sustainability, and collecting baseline sustainability data and on-site assessments from more than 50 suppliers. We are encouraging our suppliers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by motivating them to increase their operational efficiency and transitioning to renewable power. Following this, some of our suppliers like Shriram Foundries have already converted their major operations to renewables.

  Ever since we committed to RE100, many organizations have reached out to us to seek guidance on kick-starting their renewable journey. We have presented our case study at RE100 webinars with other member companies and have also spoken about our commitment to renewable energy and RE100 at various events. I have personally spoken at various industry forums and have been actively participating in corporate PPA forum.

  

  Photo credit: Tata Motors

  Why it makes business sense

  Basic business value propositions for companies to go renewable include hedging against the risk of higher costs through the conventional energy market, establishing leadership in corporate delivery of the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and reaping related reputational benefits for the brand at large.

  For Tata Motors, the case for 100% renewable electricity is aligned with our sustainability objectives and our efforts to be ‘Future Ready’. But in addition to helping to mitigate climate change, procuring electricity from renewables is turning out to be extremely beneficial for our business.  

  Going 100% renewable is a huge task for a heavy industry operating in less developed markets, but initiatives like RE100 are sending a clear signal in the market that corporates are moving to renewable energy. There are substantial rewards and RE100 is helping us to identify and overcome challenges to achieve our 100% renewable electricity goal.

  Our efforts in this space will intensify in the months and years to come as we work towards our goal of using 100% renewable electricity. We plan to reduce the environmental impact of our manufacturing operations, and generate awareness among our stakeholders. We also strive to develop cleaner and more efficient vehicles as we move towards a sustainable future.