Iron Mountain signs 145 MW power purchase agreement in Kansas - News | RE100 Skip to main content

Iron Mountain signs 145 MW power purchase agreement in Kansas - News

17 October 2018, 0:00 UTC 3 min read

RE100 member Iron Mountain has announced its biggest power purchase agreement (PPA) yet, signing a corporate deal for 145 MW of new wind power from a project in Kansas.

RE100 is the global corporate leadership initiative on renewable electricity led by The Climate Group  in partnership with CDP.

The amount of renewable electricity generated by the PPA will be enough to power 56,000 US homes and will reduce fossil fuel emissions equivalent to removing more than 101,000 cars from the road annually.

The wind farm will also support 250 jobs during construction and generate millions of dollars in revenue for the local community.

Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, The Climate Group, said: “With this new power purchase agreement, Iron Mountain is bringing more renewable power onto the Kansas grid, supporting local economic growth and jobs and decarbonizing its own operations.”

He added: “RE100 members are driving forward a clean economy and this is a shining example of how renewables are a win-win for both business and the climate.”

Kevin Hagen, vice president of Environmental Social and Governance Strategy, Iron Mountain, said: “Renewable energy has become a key strategic component in how we manage electricity usage throughout our global real estate portfolio.

“What is especially exciting is that, with this agreement and the achievement of other milestones, 100 percent of our data center business now operates on renewable electricity.

“When you consider the sheer amount of electricity required to power our entire operational portfolio, it’s truly remarkable to hit these goals in a ‘business-positive’ manner that leverages renewable energy to help us reduce utility expenses, stabilize rates and reduce the business risks associated with fossil fuels.”

Powering growth

The new PPA will take Iron Mountain to 75% global renewable electricity usage in 2018, moving the data storage giant closer to being fully renewably powered by 2050; a target set through RE100.

Iron Mountain will partner with NextEra Energy Resources on the agreement, which will result in the construction of a new wind farm and bring increased renewable electricity capacity onto the Kansas grid. The Pretty Prairie Wind Farm will be built in Reno County and operated by NextEra Energy Resources, with Iron Mountain purchasing a portion of the electricity it generates.

Over its first 30 years in operation, the wind farm is estimated to generate $50 million in payments to local landowners, as well as millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to the local community.

John Di Donato, vice president of Development for NextEra Energy Resources, said: “The Pretty Prairie Wind project will not only help advance Iron Mountain’s renewable energy goals, it will help drive the local economy forward, creating good jobs, millions of dollars in landowner payments, and additional revenue for the community to enhance roads, schools, and other essential services.”

On the path to 100%

With over 1,400 facilities across more than 50 countries, Iron Mountain has a significant carbon and energy footprint. Over the last four years the company has been increasingly meeting its energy needs from renewable sources.

In August 2018, the data giant announced that all its operations in Belgium, Ireland the Netherlands and the UK had reached the goal of being powered by 100% renewable electricity. All its global data centers also operate fully on renewable power.

Read more news from RE100 members here.