#Sustainability

2021-05-20

Berry Global announces its first virtual power purchase agreement for alternative energy source in Spain

Today, Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY) announced investment in renewable energy through the use of a long-term virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) aligned to provide the equivalent electricity requirements of the Company’s Spanish operations. In its Impact 2025 sustainability strategy, Berry commits to minimizing its absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 25 percent by 2025 vs. a 2019 baseline.

This target was validated as being in line with the Paris Agreement and limiting warming to 1.5°C by the Science Based Targets initiative earlier this year. Agreements in renewable energy are a prioritized strategy to support its operational goals while additionally investing in reducing overall energy demand. The VPPA investment will support the construction of a solar park in Guadalajara, which will greatly reduce the Company’s carbon footprint in Spain with a reduction of approximately 20,000 tons per year.

Sites benefitting from the agreement include Tarragona, Madrid, Pamplona, La Caniza, and two in Barcelona. Tarragona is the primary site, with 70 percent of Berry’s energy consumption for the country. Achieving this broader impact comes with partnership across the value chain, including Berry’s chosen VPPA partnership with renewable energy leader Axpo Iberia.

“This agreement of the production of renewable energy is one of many steps Berry Global is taking to lower the carbon emissions of our operations,” said Rodgers Greenawalt, Executive Vice President Operations at Berry. “By taking strides to lower our greenhouse gas emissions, we in turn reduce our customers’ Scope 3 emissions.”

Berry’s commitment to renewable energy in Spain will contribute to additionality, enabling the addition of new renewable energy to the grid as part of one of the largest European solar park projects. Berry recognizes that in order to succeed in its quest to limit global warming, it must also help lay the groundwork for its communities and peers. Through this investment, Berry is strengthening the local infrastructure for renewable energy sources with the installment of 50 MW of new capacity, belonging to Trillo project, the largest PV plant in Europe with 626 MW.

Berry continues to be aggressive in its progress, solidifying its promise of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and in support of achieving a net-zero economy by 2050 with its recent announcement of Science-Based Targets. Find more information on Berry Global’s sustainability commitments and progress in the Company’s Impact Report 2020.

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