GLOBAL NEWS
Google to go 100% renewable next year
Congratulations to Google - the internet giant has announced that in 2017 it will reach its RE100 goal of sourcing 100% renewable electricity. On joining RE100 during COP21, Google had set an interim goal to triple its renewable energy purchasing by 2025. Now, it is the world’s largest corporate buyer of renewable power, with commitments totalling 2.6 GWh of wind and solar energy. In a blog, Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President, Technical Infrastructure at Google said: “Having a long-term stable cost of renewable power provides protection against price swings in energy.” RE100 worked with Google around its announcement and saw coverage in Bloomberg Markets, Guardian Sustainable Business, Bloomberg New Energy Finance and on the World Economic Forum website.
EUROPE
RE100 inspires councils to source 100% clean energy
RE100 was championed by UK Climate Change and Industry Minister Nick Hurd at a unique event in London, that brought together a prestigious group of leading UK businesses, cities and local authorities all signed up to 100% clean energy. RE100 partnered with Here Now and Maitland Green to show the Minister that business and local authorities are committed to clean energy and are looking for support from national government.
Investor support for RE100
ShareAction, a responsible investment charity, coordinates an RE100 investor group that helps to persuade more publicly listed companies to commit to 100% renewable electricity. So far, five companies have joined RE100 following investor engagement and AGM activism co-ordinated by ShareAction - with with questions facilitated at 14 company AGMs during 2016. Find more information on ShareAction's work to support RE100 here.
INDIA
RE100 extends corporate engagement in India
For the first time since RE100 began outreach in India last year, we have connected with corporates in Bengaluru; the capital of India’s southern Karnataka state and the hub of India’s high-tech industry. Speakers from The Climate Group and CDP presented RE100 at a steering committee meeting of the Green Power Market Development Group, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the World Resources Institute. Anurag Priyadarshi, Global Sustainability Manager at Tata Global Beverages said there was much excitement at the company over the potential for renewable energy, right along its supply chain.
CHINA
Novo Nordisk harnessing wind power in China
Working towards its goal of being 100% renewable globally by 2020, leading healthcare company Novo Nordisk has shared its success over transferring its production site in Tianjin, China from coal to wind power. The Taibus Banner Wind Project consists of 33 turbines, which deliver 200 GWh of electricity to the North China power grid annually, saving 30,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2016. Read the full update here.
DATES FOR YOU DIARIES
RESCHEDULED: January 13, 2017: RE100 peer exchange webinar - Tata Motors' renewable energy journey - Tata Motors Limited's Sustainability Lead, Abhay Pathak, will share its experiences of adapting its business model to incorporate more renewable energy in its electricity mix, as well as sourcing renewable energy via open access, onsite installations, and third party procurement. The automobile company will also share the challenges it is experiencing, for example regulatory bottlenecks. Invitations to follow to members.
January 14-15, 2017: IRENA General Assembly, Abu Dhabi, UAE / Launch of RE100 Annual Report - There will be a session dedicated to corporate sourcing of renewables at the IRENA General Assembly on January 14. Unilever is confirmed to speak and share experiences of working to 100% renewable power as part of RE100. We intend to launch the RE100 Annual Report on this day. This year the report will take a closer look at regional trends and the strategies that companies are using to journey to 100% renewable power.
January 2017 (date TBC): RE100-Business Renewables Center - PPA focus. Invitations to follow to members.
February 2, 2017: ‘Powering a cleaner future: Unlocking business demand for renewables in Europe’, Brussels, Belgium - In the context of the development of the new EU Renewable Energy Directive and Market Design Initiative, this event - co-hosted by RE100 and Google - will highlight to policymakers and other stakeholders the high level of corporate demand for renewable power in Europe, and discuss the framework conditions required by businesses to fulfil their renewable energy ambitions. This event follows on from our recently published RE100 report which calls for key changes to EU energy policy. European Commissioner Vice President Sefcovic will attend and there are confirmed speakers from Google and Swiss Re. Save the date invitations have been sent. Please contact Sandra Roling with any questions -SRoling@theclimategroup.org
February 2017 (date TBC): RE100 markets and policy webinar, with a guest speaker from WRI (tbc) - This webinar will focus on the relationship between regulatory requirements like RPS’s, national targets, emissions caps and voluntary renewable energy purchases in the US. Invitations to follow to members.
March 21-22, 2017: RECs Market Meeting 2007, Amsterdam, The Netherlands - All RE100 members are invited to attend next year’s RECS Market Meeting, focusing on the demand-side of the electricity market. The event will look at the EU Renewable Energy Directive, U.S. PPA growth, tracking mechanisms, and market changes in India, the UAE and Brazil. The event is expected to draw 300 leading European renewable procurement experts. Damian Ryan, Acting CEO of The Climate Group, will be speaking on behalf of RE100. Register here.
March 2017 (date TBC): RE100 technical support webinar - credible claims - This will be another chance to join our webinar on making credible claims, after the launch of a report by the RE100 Technical Advisory Group in May this year. The webinar will be aimed at companies that have joined the campaign in the last six months.
AND FINALLY
We hope you enjoy the festive season! We’re looking forward to an exciting new year.