Air Liquide signs first long-term Power Purchase Agreement for renewable electricity in China

Air Liquide has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the China Three Gorges Renewables and China Three Gorges Corporation Jiangsu Branch, subsidiaries of China Three Gorges, one of China’s largest producers and retailers of renewable electricity, to purchase a total of 200 MW of renewable power per year in China. Following PPAs in the United States, Europe and South Africa, and several short-term renewable and low-carbon PPAs in China, this is the first long-term PPA signed by Air Liquide in China. It highlights Air Liquide's commitment to lead the way in the energy transition and to lower its carbon footprint, in line with its ADVANCE strategic program.

The renewable electricity will come from solar and wind farms located in the province of Jiangsu, which is the first province in China for Air Liquide in terms of electricity consumption. The generated electricity will reduce by up to 120,000 tonnes the CO2 emissions per year compared to today’s emissions. This is comparable to the electricity-related emissions of more than 300,000 Chinese households. 

The renewable electricity will contribute to the production of industrial and medical gases in China. This agreement, which will start in January 2024, will allow Air Liquide to produce gases with a lower carbon footprint at competitive prices and give customers the ability to add more renewable content in their end products. 

Francois Abrial, Member of the Air Liquide Group’s Executive Committee supervising Asia Pacific, said: “As the first long-term PPA for renewable electricity signed by Air Liquide in China, this agreement represents a new significant step in the decarbonization of the Group's activities towards carbon neutrality. It will allow us to lower our carbon footprint but also to meet the growing demand from our customers for competitive low-carbon solutions. This is in line with our strategic plan ADVANCE, which inseparably combines financial and extra-financial performance.”