Solar, Sourcing Renewables, Wind  -  June 7, 2024

Tronox Adds 200 MW Wind, Solar PPA

Tronox Holdings plc, an integrated manufacturer of titanium dioxide pigment, announced that it entered into a long-term power purchase agreement for both wind and solar power.

The agreement was entered into with NOA Group, an integrated energy utility, for 497 GWh of total contracted energy anticipated to be served by plants with capacity in excess of 200 MW of renewable wind and solar power through fixed and flexible arrangements to Tronox's mines and smelters in the Republic of South Africa. 

The company anticipates the project should be fully implemented by the end of 2027 and is expected to reduce Tronox's total Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by an incremental 12% globally.

The agreement is in addition to the 200-MW solar power agreement announced in 2022 with SOLA Group, which was fully implemented as of April 2024 and is currently providing power to Tronox's operations.

Upon completion of the latest project, approximately 70% of Tronox's South African electricity needs will be met by renewable energy, and its in-country emissions will be reduced by 54%. 

South Africa is one of many countries where Tronox is pursuing renewable energy projects to progress its decarbonization roadmap. The company recently partnered with Pacific Energy, an Australian company in the provision of sustainable distributed energy, to deliver a new hybrid power system for Tronox's Atlas-Campaspe mine in New South Wales.

"Tronox's solar and wind renewable energy agreements with SOLA and NOA will reduce our global Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 25% compared to our 2019 baseline, marking significant progress on our decarbonization roadmap towards net zero carbon emissions,” said Tronox's Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of Investor Relations Jennifer Guenther in a statement. “Not only is Tronox demonstrating our commitment to emissions reduction by switching from coal-based to renewable power in South Africa, but we are also implementing innovative technologies at our operating sites to protect our land, water, air and ecosystems while also investing in our products, people and communities. We will outline a number of key initiatives across emissions and waste reduction, water management, social initiatives and more in our 2023 Sustainability Report, which we expect to publish in the coming weeks."