US can producer Ball Corporation has signed two virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for 388MW of renewable energy output in total.
The agreements, one for wind and one for solar, will allow the company to address 100% of the North American electricity load in its corporate, packaging and aerospace operations by the end of 2021.
The wind and solar projects in Oklahoma and in Texas will allow Ball to cut its global Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, equivalent to the carbon reduction of removing 180,000 passenger vehicles from the road annually.
Ball president John Hayes said: “These renewable energy agreements place Ball among the leading corporate buyers of renewable energy in our industry and the US, marking a critical moment in our sustainability journey, and are a demonstration of our commitment to have the aluminium can recognized as the most sustainable package.”
Ball first began using renewable energy in 2015, building three wind turbines in partnership with a local service provider to help power its Findlay, Ohio, drinks packaging plant.
In 2018, Ball expanded the Findlay project to six turbines, which will generate more than 24,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy each year.
“Using renewable energy is an important lever to further enhance the sustainability credentials of our packaging and we’re exploring similar opportunities across our global footprint,” Hayes said.
Ball was advised on the VPPAs by Schneider Electric, which assisted the company in its project selection and negotiations.
According to Ball, Aluminium packaging can be recycled and back on store shelves in as little as 60 days and around 75% of the aluminium produced is still in use today.