Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is purchasing wind power for an Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Cleburne, Texas, outside of Dallas, making it the first Airgas primary production unit to be powered with an energy mix that includes locally sourced renewable energy. The ASU produces liquid argon, nitrogen and oxygen and will run on wind power mixed with other energy sources, cutting the overall carbon footprint by an estimated 15,840 metric tons per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions associated with the electricity used by approximately 3,000 U.S. homes every year.
Airgas began receiving wind power at the Cleburne plant in November from a nearby subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. Airgas is leveraging around 20 percent 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) – certifying megawatt hours of electricity generated and delivered to the grid from a renewable energy source – 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 percent by 2035 on the path to carbon neutrality by 2050.
Marcelo Fioranelli, CEO, commented: “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. We are reducing our carbon footprint at an accelerated pace and pushing forward to help our customers environmentally optimize their own processes.”
About Airgas
Airgas®, an Air Liquide company, is a leading U.S. supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods and related products; one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products; and a leading U.S. supplier of ammonia products and process chemicals.
Dedicated to improving the performance of its more than 1 million customers, Airgas safely and reliably provides products, services and expertise through its more than 18,000 associates, over 1,400 locations, robust e-Business platform, and Airgas Total Access® telesales channel.
As an Air Liquide company, a world leader in gases, technology and services for Industry and Health, Airgas offers customers an unrivaled global footprint and industry-leading technology and innovations.
For more information, please visit www.airgas.com
