Saint-Gobain and CVE sign a major renewable electricity supply agreement in South Africa

Saint-Gobain has signed a renewable electricity supply agreement (Power Purchase Agreement or PPA) with CVE, an independent French renewable energy producer, to secure about 140 GWh of solar electricity in South Africa, over a 20-year period.

This PPA is expected to cover around 40% of the electrical needs of Saint-Gobain’s 4 major industrial sites in the country, producing gypsum and mortars. The sites are located in Brakpan, Alrode and Germiston in the Gauteng region, as well as in Parrow, Western Cape. This will offset Saint-Gobain South Africa’s CO₂ emissions from electricity (scope 2 emissions) by more than 6,800 tons per year.

Commenting on this PPA, Othman Benjelloun-Touimi, CEO of Saint-Gobain in Africa, said: “With this PPA, Saint-Gobain will further reduce its CO₂ emissions. This renewable energy project is a new milestone on the way to meeting Saint-Gobain’s commitment to reduce scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions by 33% by 2030 – compared to 2017 – and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.”

CVE South Africa focuses on decentralised energy projects, mainly self-consumption projects for agricultural and industrial customers, geographically located in the Western Cape (Cape Town), Gauteng (Johannesburg) and industrial areas in the hinterland and on the east coast of South Africa.

“CVE has developed in-house expertise in forming CPPAs (Corporate Power Purchase Agreements) and self-consumption projects. Our business is centred around understanding the needs of our industrial, agricultural and municipal customers. We are proud to support Saint-Gobain’s renewable energy commitment in South Africa” said René Laks, Country General Manager for CVE South Africa.