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.