Global: Dow Increases Clean Energy Targets Aligned to 2025 Sustainability Goals

Yesterday, The Dow Chemical Company advanced its vision to accelerate the development of cost-effective clean energy alternatives and reduce carbon emissions by increasing its clean energy target from 400 MW to 750 MW by 2025. This increase aligns with Dow’s 2025 Sustainability Goals and was achieved within the first year of the launch of the goals.

To accelerate this plan, Dow has partnered with NRG Energy, Inc. and NRG Yield, Inc. on a large scale collaboration for renewable energy. The partnership will provide sustainable, clean energy through a ten-year wind power purchase agreement from the 150 MW Goat Mountain I and II wind farms, which will power Dow’s Freeport, Texas facilities. The collaboration with NRG Energy and the additional 150 MW of renewable energy contributed to a total of approximately 500 MW in renewable energy for Dow, resulting in the increased clean energy target.

Launched in 2015, the original 2025 Sustainability Goals include a key performance indicator to use 400 MW of clean power. Meeting this target in just one year, Dow is resetting its goal to 750 MW, further illustrating the company’s continued forward-thinking, leadership position in clean energy.

“Dow’s 2025 Sustainability Goals define the path forward for our Company, and today we are pleased to increase our renewable energy targets from 400 MW up to 750 MW by 2025,” said Dr. Neil Hawkins, Dow’s corporate vice president and chief sustainability officer.“Dow is proud to be the first company in the United States to power manufacturing sites with renewable energy at this kind of scale and that we’ve become one of the largest corporate purchasers of wind energy in America.  We appreciate this new collaboration with NRG at our Freeport site.”

Historically, Dow has utilized grid power, fossil fuels, natural gas, coal and oil to power its plants.  However, with the change in market prices and policies, the Company can now cost- effectively utilize renewable energy to help operate the plants and reduce its carbon footprint.

“This is a significant game changer representing the increase of renewable energy to power Dow plants,” said Jack Broodo, Dow’s business president of feedstocks and energy. “Through cost-advantaged power, Dow is manufacturing materials through renewable energy in one of the largest scale industrial partnerships in the world. In fact, at the 400 MW level, Dow is now in the top five industrial users of renewable power in the U.S.”

Providing the power are NRG’s 11,000 acre Goat Mountain I and II wind farms located in Coke and Sterling counties, north of San Angelo, Texas. These farms are part of the NRG renewable portfolio with 4,313 MW of wind and solar generation owned either entirely or in part by NRG or NRG Yield.

“We’re proud to partner with Dow and provide renewable energy solutions to a company that’s already demonstrating an exceptional commitment to sustainability,” said Craig Cornelius, senior vice president and head of renewables at NRG. “Dow represents one of many companies that are driving an evolution in America’s energy mix as they seek cleaner sources of power that also provide more certainty over future energy costs.”

Dow currently supplies its Freeport, Texas, facilities with 350MW of wind power annually, which is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 50,000 homes.