DENMARK – Global bioscience company Chr. Hansen has entered into a long term power purchase agreement with Better Energy to ensure Chr. Hansen Denmark’s annual electricity usage is 100% covered by renewable energy.
The new 10-year agreement enables Chr. Hansen Denmark to utilize 100% green power from two brand new solar parks established by Better Energy, which are scheduled for completion by April 2020.
Energy Denmark will support the agreement by being responsible for creating a balance between consumption and production of electricity and handling the difference that will always exist when the sun doesn’t shine.
In that way Chr. Hansen’s energy supply will be secured with power production from a mix of several other renewable sources like wind and biogas.
“We want to contribute positively to the transition to green energy,” says Annemarie Meisling, senior director of Sustainability, Chr. Hansen.
“That is why we have decided to commit to a long term agreement to buy solar energy from two new parks so that our good bacteria and natural colors have a green footprint, both externally with our customers and on our home turf where some of our largest production sites are located.”
The agreement underlines Chr. Hansen’s commitment to a sustainable future and will create more green energy capacity to the benefit of all of Denmark.
“At Chr. Hansen we are committed to minimizing our footprint and supporting clean energy in a meaningful way.
“Combining sun and wind as energy sources makes a lot of sense in a country like Denmark due to its climate. In addition to sharpening our own commitment to a sustainable future, we are proud of actively contributing on a national level through this agreement,” Meisling adds.
Rasmus Lildholdt Kjaer CEO of Better Energy says that the new agreement demonstrates how companies can assume joint responsibility for creating new energy from renewable sources to the benefit of the entire country:
Rasmus noted that the agreement will see Chr. Hansen benefit from Better Energy’s solution including; competitive prices, direct association with specific solar parks and the subsequent creation of new renewable energy capacity in Denmark.
Better Energy will establish and operate the new solar parks and sell the produced energy to Chr. Hansen at an agreed fixed price.
“Chr. Hansen’s choice to make a long-term commitment to buy electricity from our two new solar parks in the next 10 years is groundbreaking.
“It serves as an inspiration to other companies by demonstrating that today it is possible to choose a new green energy supply that makes a true difference and contributes to accelerate the transition to green energy.”
Chr. Hansen Denmark’s annual energy need corresponds to the consumption by almost 15,000 Danish households.
Energy Denmark will match, on an hourly basis, Chr. Hansen’s consumption pattern with the energy production from a mix of several renewable sources to ensure balance.
With this initiative, Chr. Hansen has strengthened its position as the world’s most sustainable company* by contributing to creating more renewable energy through the establishment of two new solar parks.
