Imerys has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement with Akuo for a 195MW solar project in Texas, marking the French industrial group’s largest renewable energy deal to date in the United States.
The photovoltaic facility, to be built in Coke County, will include 57MW dedicated to powering Imerys’ local operations. It is expected to generate 153GWh of electricity annually and reduce the group’s CO₂ emissions by around 67,000 tonnes per year, or 3% of its global Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
The Tennyson plant will be Akuo’s first solar installation in the US and follows its two operational wind farms in Texas. Construction is scheduled to start soon, employing up to 400 workers and contractors, with commissioning due in the second half of 2026.
“This agreement is a powerful tool to help us achieve our ambitious emissions reduction goal,” said Leah Wilson, sustainability director at Imerys. “We’re acting to decarbonise our operations and offer products with an improved environmental footprint.”
Eric Scotto, chairman and co-founder of Akuo, said: “The Tennyson plant demonstrates that renewable energy procurement is also a way to create sustainable value. We’re proud to support Imerys in reaching its environmental goals.”
The deal follows a series of similar PPAs signed by Imerys in the UK, Bahrain, China, and Malaysia as part of its strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030. Once operational, the Tennyson plant will provide at least 30% of the group’s annual electricity consumption in the US.
Over its lifetime, the agreement is expected to avoid more than 1 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.