Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is purchasing wind power for an Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Cleburne, Texas, making it the first Airgas primary production unit to be powered with an energy mix that includes locally sourced renewable energy.
The ASU, which produces liquid argon, nitrogen and oxygen, will run on wind power mixed with other energy sources, cutting the overall carbon footprint by an estimated 15,840 metric tons per year.
Airgas began receiving wind power at the Cleburne plant in November from a nearby subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources LLC. Airgas is leveraging around 20% of the renewable wind electricity purchased through an Air Liquide power purchase agreement announced in and planned for since 2018.
In addition to the renewable energy purchased for the Cleburne plant, Airgas is continuing to evaluate new local renewable energy sources for other ASUs in other markets as well. Airgas purchases unbundled Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for Air Separation Units operating across the United States.
Airgas will continue to increase its renewable energy mix for primary production units in contribution to Air Liquide Group efforts to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions by 33% by 2035 on the path to carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Airgas is very proud to be using new renewable energy sources to run our Air Separation Units, whether from local sources where available like Cleburne, Texas, or through Renewable Energy Certificates,” comments CEO Marcelo Fioranelli. “We are reducing our carbon footprint at an accelerated pace and pushing forward to help our customers environmentally optimize their own processes.”
