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ENGIE Completes Financial Close with University of Iowa

March 18, 2020 – Houston, TX – Today ENGIE announced the financial close reached on March 10th for the Public Private Partnership (P3) with the University of Iowa. ENGIE will manage the University’s utility system under a 50 years Concession Agreement.

 

On December 10, 2019, ENGIE and its partner Meridiam were awarded the concession valued at more than $1 billion dollars to manage the University of Iowa’s utilities and sustainability goals for two campuses spanning 1,700 acres in Iowa City, Iowa. These campuses together form one of the largest university footprints in the United States and serve over 35,000 students and approximately 14,000 employees.

The partnership allows the University to focus on its core mission of academics and research while working towards its goal of being coal-free by 2025, or sooner. At the same time, ENGIE and its partner Meridiam will focus on helping the University reduce its energy usage and leverage renewable energy generation sources, microgrids, energy storage and other technologies for a sustainable future.

Hannon Armstrong (NYSE: HASI), a leading investor in climate change solutions, holds a financial interest in the project through a preferred equity tranche.

The agreement requires that:

  • Sources of renewable energy and sustainable fuel will be used.
  • Legacy University of Iowa utility system employees being on-boarded by ENGIE.
  • Students, faculty and staff at the University will have opportunities to benefit from experiential learning and innovation via local and global internships, projects, and research opportunities in energy and other areas.

ENGIE will operate, maintain, optimize, and modernize the on-campus utility systems for the University under the agreement. The scope includes the provision for heating, cooling, and electricity to the campus through a dedicated network while also managing high quality and sanitary water and storm sewer services.

“ENGIE is excited to help lead the University of Iowa in its zero-carbon transition and towards a more sustainable energy future,” said Gwenaelle Avice-Huet, CEO of ENGIE North America.

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is the largest independent power producer and energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people in 70 countries. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, www.engie-na.com and www.engie.com.

Media Contacts:
ENGIE North America: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705

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State Fund Launches Next Phase of Sustainability Plan with Comprehensive Energy Program Designed by ENGIE and JLL

February 20, 2020 – Pleasanton, CA – State Compensation Insurance Fund (State Fund) and ENGIE North America today announced an agreement to build solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across seven different State Fund locations throughout California. ENGIE and JLL jointly designed this comprehensive program to help State Fund embark on the next phase of its broader sustainability strategy.

 

ENGIE will install up to 11 MW of solar panels across six State Fund facilities spanning from Riverside to Redding that will generate approximately 18,000,000 kWh of clean energy annually. This energy production will offset approximately 14,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions — equivalent to taking about 2,700 cars off the road or planting about 204,000 trees each year. The energy storage systems — approx. 4,240 kWh of battery storage at four locations — will allow State Fund to store energy and avoid buying power from the electricity grid during the most expensive times of peak energy use each day.

Additionally, State Fund will install a network of more than 150 Level II and Level III electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at seven locations that will be used by fleet vehicles and available to employees. State Fund’s fleet currently includes eight battery electric vehicles (BEVs), three of which are new long-range BEVs that allow employees to quickly travel between State Fund locations while lowering their reliance on fossil fuels.

“Increasing our efforts and investments around sustainability initiatives will bring a number of benefits to State Fund customers and employees, our surrounding communities, and California as a whole,” said Andreas Acker, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at State Fund. “This project with ENGIE and JLL is a huge step forward in our drive to reduce our use of fossil fuels, limit the load we place on local and statewide electrical grids, and improve overall air quality throughout California.”

This initiative is part of a broader sustainability strategy that State Fund has been rolling out for several years and will ramp up significantly over the years to come. Examples of State Fund’s sustainability efforts undertaken to date include:

  • Installation of exterior and interior LED lighting and energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at several locations.
  • Installation of daylight harvesting systems at all owned buildings.
  • Adoption of water-saving measures such as waterless or dual-flush toilets and low-flow faucets at most sites.
  • A recent internal campaign to “ban the bottle” and a substantial reduction in plastic water bottle purchases for State Fund-hosted events.

Overall, eight State Fund buildings have become Energy Star® certified and State Fund has reduced the energy used in its owned buildings by 10 percent since 2016.

“ENGIE is honored to have been chosen by State Fund and JLL to help develop this ground-breaking solar, storage, and EV charging solution set to support State Fund’s mission serving communities across California,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, CEO of ENGIE North America. “We believe that demand for renewable energy programs that incorporate additional, leading-edge solutions like battery storage and EV charging represent the next chapter of sustainability impact that will also effectively help us transition to a zero-carbon future.”

Kyle Goehring, Executive Vice President at JLL, added, “Bringing ENGIE — known for its zero-carbon transition ambition, history of delivering successful projects, and its strong balance sheet — together with State Fund’s commitment to sustainability made tremendous sense. We are committed to finding the right energy partner for our clients and helping them achieve their ambitions.”

The initial phases of this comprehensive energy program have already begun at some sites, and the entire project is currently planned to be completed by the end of 2020.

Press Contacts
State Fund: Susan Wells, swells@scif.com, (707) 455-9740
ENGIE NA: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705
JLL: Kristen Murphy, Kristen.Murphy@am.jll.com, (617) 848-1572

About State Fund
Established in 1914 by the state legislature, State Fund is California’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance and a vital asset to California businesses. State Fund supports California’s entrepreneurial spirit and plays a stabilizing role in the economy by providing fairly priced workers’ compensation insurance, helping California employers keep their workplaces safe, and restoring injured workers.

About JLL
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. JLL shapes the future of real estate for a better world by using the most advanced technology to create rewarding opportunities, amazing spaces and sustainable real estate solutions for our clients, our people and our communities. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $18.0 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 93,000 as of December 31, 2019. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is the largest independent power producer and energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people in 70 countries. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, www.engie-na.com and www.engie.com.

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ENGIE and City of Philadelphia Announce Power Purchase Agreement and Plans to Staff Construction of Adams County (PA) Solar Farm

February 6, 2020 – Houston, TX and Philadelphia, PA – ENGIE North America and the City of Philadelphia, in partnership with the Philadelphia Energy Authority, have in place a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for Philadelphia to purchase energy generated by the Adams County solar farm.

 

An information session is scheduled on February 13, 2020, to identify contractors and suppliers to staff the project in coordination with the City of Philadelphia. A job fair, to be scheduled for April, will focus on employment opportunities during the construction of the project.

The 80-Megawatt Adams County project was previously owned by Community Energy and is now being developed by ENGIE. The project will break ground in the First Half of 2020 and be operational in 2021. The solar farm will provide 22 percent of the electricity needed by city-owned buildings in Philadelphia. It is among the largest solar powered municipal projects in the country.

“The City of Philadelphia is committed to 100% renewable, zero carbon electricity by 2030 and this solar project is a major step towards that goal,” explains Christine Knapp, director of the Office of Sustainability for the City of Philadelphia. “We are excited to work with ENGIE to staff this project with dedicated, forward-thinking Philadelphians.”

“We are excited to work with Adams County and the City of Philadelphia to deliver on zero carbon affordable energy and set a standard and example for other municipalities in the United States,” said Luis Felipe Birolini, Head of solar development at ENGIE North America.

This project reinforces ENGIE’s strategy to become a leader in the zero-carbon transition for companies and local authorities. ENGIE plans to build more than 1GW of new renewable capacity in the US in 2020, supporting its global ambition of building approximately 9 GW between 2019-2021.

Contractor and Supplier Information Session
During construction of the solar project, companies will employ more than 150 people.

What: Opportunity Information Session for Qualified Contractors and Suppliers
When: February 13, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. EST
Where: First District Plaza, 3801 Market Street, Renaissance Room 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Who: Seeking qualified construction and engineering sub-contractors

Name the Adams County Solar Project
The City of Philadelphia welcomes Philadelphians to help name this exciting new solar project. Voting on the official name for the project can be done online at: http://www.phila.gov/solarproject. A winning name will be announced in April.

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE S.A. is the largest independent power producer and energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people in 70 countries. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, www.engie-na.com and www.engie.com.

About the Philadelphia Office of Sustainability
The Philadelphia Office of Sustainability (OOS) works with partners around the City to improve the quality of life in all Philadelphia neighborhoods, reduce the city’s carbon emissions, and prepare Philadelphia for a hotter, wetter future. OOS is responsible for implementing Greenworks Philadelphia, the city’s comprehensive sustainability plan. Learn more at www.phila.gov/green.

About Philadelphia Energy Authority
The Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) is a municipal government entity supporting the City on energy affordability and sustainability. Created in 2010, PEA is focused on developing and facilitating long-term energy projects and policies, and supporting a robust clean energy economy in Philadelphia. Among other work, PEA holds long-term energy contracts on behalf of the City. For more information on PEA’s work, visit www.philaenergy.org.

About Community Energy
Community Energy has developed and financed 1,900 MW of renewable energy power projects across the country, including 1,200 MW of solar power. Community Energy combines power marketing and development expertise to build renewable generation projects economically and at scale, and has been a leading renewable energy developer for more than 15 years, developing many of the first and largest wind and solar projects in the United States. Community Energy is headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania with offices in Boulder, Colorado, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. For more information about Community Energy, please visit https://www.communityenergyinc.com/.

Media Contacts
City of Philadelphia: Kelly Cofrancisco, kelly.cofrancisco@phila.gov, (215) 686-6210
ENGIE North America: Sandrine Deparis, sandrine.deparis@engie.com, (202) 855 3705

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ENGIE and Meridiam to Serve the University of Iowa through a 50-year Utility Management Concession

December 10, 2019 – Iowa City, IA – Meridiam and ENGIE North America have been awarded a 50-year concession valued at more than $1 billion USD to address the University of Iowa’s energy, water, and sustainability goals for two campuses spanning 1,700 acres in Iowa City, Iowa. These campuses together form one of the largest university footprints in the United States.

 

Founded in 1847, the University of Iowa is the state’s oldest institution of higher education1, enrolling a diverse population of students of varying educational and demographic backgrounds on its campuses. It is one of the nation’s premier public universities with top-tier programs in the health sciences, special distinction in the arts, and the #1 Creative Writing Program in the U.S. (40+ Pulitzer Prize-winning faculty and alumni).

“The University of Iowa is pleased to partner with ENGIE and Meridiam over the next 50 years in order to deliver on the UI’s strategic plan, which is focused on the success of students; research and discovery; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and engagement,” says UI President Bruce Harreld. “With ENGIE and Meridiam, the university has found partners who share our values of investing in our people, improving sustainability, and transitioning toward a zero-carbon footprint.”

Meridiam and ENGIE will be 50/50 partners in an organization that is locally resourced and will concretely contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals2 and allow the University to meet its energy transition objectives.

The team combines the world’s leading energy services provider, ENGIE, with one of the leading long-term sustainable energy transition infrastructure investors, Meridiam. This partnership offers the University global resources, operational knowledge, and best practices needed to deliver crucial services while enabling the University to focus on its core missions in academics and research.

Under this agreement, ENGIE will operate, maintain, optimize, and improve the on-campus utility systems for the University. The scope includes providing heating, cooling, and electricity to the campuses through a dedicated network while also managing high quality and sanitary water and storm sewer services.

One of the key features of this agreement is to help the University transition to coal-free energy production on campus by January 1, 2025, if not sooner.

ENGIE and Meridiam will also work with the University to assure:

  • Multiple services and solutions involving reduction in energy usage as well as generation sources such as renewable energy, microgrids, energy storage and other innovative technologies preparing the campus for a resilient and sustainable future are explored
  • A seamless transition to welcome all current utility system employees
  • Students, faculty, and staff have opportunities to benefit from experiential learning and innovation via internships, projects, and research opportunities in energy and other areas, including through an innovative program to enhance awareness of ways to improve resource use for students and other members of the University community

“ENGIE looks forward to supporting the University of Iowa in its zero-carbon transition. Over the next 50 years, we will continually work to improve system efficiency, cost, and performance both
operationally and environmentally, leveraging the power of our global experience and focus on innovation to make the University of Iowa a showcase for next-generation energy management and
sustainability,” said Isabelle Kocher, CEO of ENGIE.

Thierry Déau, CEO of Meridiam said: ” As a Benefit Corporation3 built on the framework of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, with a strong focus on delivering access to clean energy across the globe, Meridiam is delighted to partner with ENGIE on this important project that will establish the University of Iowa as a landmark clean energy campus community for future generations.”

After winning a similar 50-year concession with The Ohio State University and acquisition of critical infrastructure to serve six Harvard-affiliated hospitals in Longwood Medical Area in Boston under a 34-year agreement, the work to be done with the University of Iowa reinforces ENGIE’s commitment to serving the university and healthcare sectors in North America. As the world’s leading energy services provider with more than 350 district energy systems, 113 GW of total generation capacity, and tens of thousands of operations, maintenance, and technical staff around the world, ENGIE offers comprehensive and tailor-made solutions across a broadening array of services to these customers.

Meridiam is a leading developer, investor, and asset manager specializing in greenfield infrastructure with a core focus on sustainability and impact. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) stand at the core of Meridiam’s business approach for each one of its 75 projects worldwide. The firm’s energy transition portfolio spans three continents, and more than 20 major projects in the field of renewable energy production and energy efficiency (700 MW of solar, hydro and geothermal; 520 GWh of biomass/biogas, 200,000 tons/year of waste to energy and 300,000 solar home systems), or e-mobility (more than 10,000 electric vehicle charging stations). Present in North America since 2007, Meridiam has 15 projects and assets under development, construction, or in operation on the continent for a total value of more than USD 22 billion, garnering numerous awards for leadership in energy and environmental design efficiency for projects including the Long Beach Courthouse (California), the CR-CHUM (Canada), and LaGuardia Airport Terminal B.

“We are entering a relationship with the University of Iowa that will span across generations,” Kocher and Déau concluded. “ENGIE and Meridiam look forward to uniting our strengths with the University to provide a sustainable future for years to come.”

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people in 70 countries. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages, www.engie-na.com and www.engie.com.

About Meridiam
Meridiam was founded in 2005 by Thierry Déau, with the belief that the alignment of interests between the public and private sector can provide critical solutions to the collective needs of communities. Meridiam is an independent investment firm specializing in the development, financing, and management of long-term and sustainable public infrastructure projects and assets in the mobility, energy transition and social infrastructure sectors. With offices in, Addis Ababa, Amman, Dakar, Istanbul, New York, Luxembourg, Paris, Toronto and Vienna, Meridiam currently manages 7 billion Euros of assets, and more than 70 projects and assets to date. Meridiam is certified ISO 9001: 2015, ISO 26000 Advanced by VigeoEiris and operates on a proprietary methodology in relation to ESG and impact based on UNSDGs. www.meridiam.com

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Customers and Community Join ENGIE to Break Ground on the Long Draw Solar Project in Texas

November 6, 2019 – Houston, TX – ENGIE North America today hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking with county officials and customers for the 225 MW Long Draw Solar Project. ENGIE will serve four Texas municipalities – New Braunfels, Denton, Garland, and Kerrville – and their electric utilities – via a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the project’s full capacity.

 

Slated to come online in the summer of 2020, the Long Draw Solar Project – the largest solar project to date in ENGIE’s solar portfolio – will be located in Borden County, Texas. The project will house more than 800,000 solar panels, employ some 150 people during peak construction, and generate total estimated tax payments to Borden County and the Borden County Independent School District of more than $10 million over the life of project.

The PPA stemmed from an original request for solar energy proposals issued by New Braunfels Utilities (NBU), who in turn partnered with Denton Municipal Electric (DME), Garland Power & Light (GP&L), and Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) for the purchase of solar energy from ENGIE and Long Draw in order to diversify their power supplies and to keep retail electricity rates low.

Under the power purchase agreement, which has a term of 15 years, NBU has contracted for 100 megawatts of solar energy from the Long Draw project. Denton will purchase 75 MW of capacity, Garland will purchase 25 MW of capacity, and Kerrville will purchase 25 MW of capacity.

“We’re so glad to join with leaders here in Borden County and with our customers to support them in creating new opportunities to diversify their renewable energy sources on a meaningful scale,” said Luis Felipe Birolini, head of solar development at ENGIE North America. “We look forward to completing the project in the summer of 2020, and to providing zero carbon, affordable energy for years to come.”

“New Braunfels Utilities is pleased to be a part of ENGIE’s Long Draw Solar Project, and today’s groundbreaking ceremony. Today culminates many months of hard work and dedication to further enable NBU to be good stewards of our environment – and to deliver affordable and reliable energy to our customers. This project is a great example of municipal entities working together for the best of their customers and embodies NBU’s mission in action, to provide innovative, essential services. We look forward to this project coming online next year,” said New Braunfels Utilities CEO, Ian Taylor.

“Garland Power & Light looks forward to adding solar from the Long Draw Project to our power portfolio,” said GP&L General Manager and CEO Jeff Janke. “This affordable resource will support GP&L’s competitive rate strategy.”

“KPUB is excited to see this project move forward, said Mike Wittler, general manager & CEO of Kerrville Public Utility Board. “It will help us ensure that our customers have competitive, stable rates for years to come.”

The Long Draw project, originally developed by BNB Renewables, from whom ENGIE acquired the project in March 2018, strengthens ENGIE’s strategy to lead the zero-carbon transition for companies and local authorities. It contributes to ENGIE’s rapid expansion in renewables, with an ambition to build approximately 9,000 MW of new renewable energy projects from 2019-2021 globally, including 2,500 MW of new renewable capacity in North America. The company has an additional 10,000 MW of wind and solar projects in its broader development pipeline in the U.S. and Canada.

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and a leading energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages or www.engie-na.com.

About New Braunfels Utilities:
Dedicated to excellence in service, New Braunfels Utilities is one of 2,000 community-owned, not-for profit public power electric utilities in the nation. The mission of New Braunfels Utilities is to enhance the quality of our community by providing innovative, essential services. Governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of local residents appointed by the New Braunfels City Council, New Braunfels Utilities is committed to being a recognized and trusted community partner, providing electric, water, and waste water services. Utility revenues are continually invested back into the systems of the customers, which benefits the community. New Braunfels Utilities makes an annual transfer to the City of New Braunfels, which in turn helps to pay for services such as fire, police, and parks. Follow NBU on Facebook at newbraunfelsutilities, on Twitter at nbutility, and to learn more visit nbutexas.com.

About GP&L:
The City of Garland has been providing electric service to its citizens through Garland Power & Light (GP&L) since 1923. With nearly 71,000 customers, GP&L is the fourth largest municipal utility in Texas and the 43rd largest in the nation.

About Denton Municipal Electric:
The City of Denton’s Denton Municipal Electric (DME) department was established in 1905 and provides service to over 53,000 customers. In 2018, the Denton City Council adopted the Denton Renewable Resource Plan, which sets the goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy supply by 2020 and makes the City of Denton a national leader in renewable energy adoption. To learn more about DME, visit www.dmepower.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Kerrville Public Utility Board:
The Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) was acquired by the City of Kerrville in 1987 and serves approximately 22,750 customers throughout its 146 square mile service area, including Kerrville, Center Point, Ingram, Hunt and surrounding areas in Kerr County. As a community-owned, not-for-profit electric company, our utility is operated with local control. KPUB is overseen by a five-member board of trustees who serve without compensation and who are responsible to the City of Kerrville for the management and control of the system. KPUB’s mission is to be a responsive and efficient, locally-owned provider of reliable, high-quality utility service at the lowest responsible price. For more information on KPUB, please follow our Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook pages, or visit our website at kpub.com.

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ENGIE Announces Construction of the East Fork Wind Project in Kansas

October 31, 2019 – Houston, TX – ENGIE North America Inc. today announced the start of construction of the 196-megawatt (MW) East Fork Wind Project in Thomas County, Kansas. Located near the city of Colby in northwest Kansas, the East Fork Wind Project is the second phase of the larger Solomon Forks Wind Project (276MW) currently under construction. The East Fork project, located immediately east of Solomon Forks, will provide clean energy to Brown-Forman under a PPA and has entered into a Proxy Revenue Swap with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty’s specialist weather risk team, in collaboration with its partners at Nephila Climate.

 

With a total capital investment of approximately $228 million, the project will generate significant benefits to the local area, with annual payments to landowners under land easements, local job creation during both construction and commercial operation, purchases of local goods and services, donations to local schools, a scholarship fund established by East Fork with Colby Community College, and annual PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) payments to Thomas County. Both the City of Colby and the larger Thomas County have been very supportive of the East Fork project and have contributed significantly to its success.

“East Fork is our third major project to break ground after ENGIE’s acquisition of the Infinity Renewables wind portfolio in February 2018, bringing our total MW under construction to nearly 700,” said Matt Riley, Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Wind Development at ENGIE North America and former CEO of Infinity Renewables. “It’s exciting to be part of a company driving renewable energy development at a meaningful scale. These wind projects provide much more than clean energy. They enable new economic, environmental, and educational opportunities that can make a positive difference in the communities where they reside.”

East Fork, which has been under active development for over 10 years, is part of the portfolio recently acquired by a subsidiary of ENGIE North America from Infinity Power Holdings, a joint venture between Infinity Renewables and MAP® Energy. The project will use 72 GE turbines, each having a capacity of 2.72MW. M.A. Mortenson Company has been selected as the Construction General Contractor. The project was originally developed by Airstream Energy, a developer with local roots in the community.

About ENGIE North America Inc.
ENGIE North America manages a range of energy businesses in the United States and Canada, including clean power generation, cogeneration, and energy storage; retail energy sales; and comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense. Nearly 100 percent of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and energy efficiency services provider in the world, with operations in 70 countries employing 150,000 people, including 1,000 researchers in 11 R&D centers. For more information, please visit www.engie-na.com, @ENGIENorthAm, and www.engie.com.

About Brown-Forman
For almost 150 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Canadian Mist, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Early Times, Chambord, BenRiach, GlenDronach and Slane. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by nearly 4,700 employees and sold in more than 165 countries worldwide.

About Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) is the Allianz Group’s dedicated carrier for corporate and specialty insurance business. AGCS provides insurance and risk consultancy across the whole spectrum of specialty, alternative risk transfer and corporate business: Marine, Aviation (incl. Space), Energy, Engineering, Entertainment, Financial Lines (incl. D&O), Liability, Mid-Corporate and Property insurance (incl. International Insurance Programs).

Worldwide, AGCS operates with its own teams in 34 countries and through the Allianz Group network and partners in over 210 countries and territories, employing almost 4,700 people of 70 nationalities. AGCS provides insurance solutions to more than three quarters of the Fortune Global 500 companies, writing a total of €7.4 billion gross premium worldwide in 2017. AGCS SE is rated AA by Standard & Poor’s and A+ by A.M. Best. For more information please visit www.agcs.allianz.com or follow us on Twitter @AGCS_Insurance LinkedIn and Google+.

About MAP® Energy
MAP® Energy is a leading investor in the development of renewable energy projects and has funded more than 10,000 megawatts of operating wind and solar generating capacity located across the United States. More information is available at www.mapenergy.com.

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Residents and Dignitaries Join ENGIE to Celebrate the Solomon Forks and East Fork Wind Projects in Kansas

September 26, 2019 – Thomas County, KS – Residents, business leaders, and government officials today joined ENGIE North America to mark the grand opening of the Solomon Forks Wind Project, as well as to celebrate the East Fork Wind Project scheduled to become operational in the spring of 2020. Both projects are located in Thomas County, near the city of Colby, in northwest Kansas and together represent $650 million of investment. ENGIE is proud to serve T-Mobile US, Inc., Target Corp., Brown-Forman, and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty through these projects.

 

With 105 wind turbines capable of producing 276 MW of clean energy, Solomon Forks is currently the largest wind farm in ENGIE North America’s portfolio. Now in commercial operation, the project will generate significant benefits to the local area for years to come, with lease payments to landowners under land easements, local jobs to operate and maintain the facility, purchases of local goods and services, donations to Colby Unified School District No. 315, and a scholarship fund established by Solomon Forks with Colby Community College.

The East Fork wind project, meanwhile, also has substantial generation capacity at 196 MW from 72 turbines. Similar to Solomon Forks, the East Fork project is enabling new economic and educational opportunities to the local area, with lease payments to landowners under land easements, local job creation during construction and commercial operation, purchases of local goods and services, donations to local schools, a scholarship fund established by East Fork with Colby Community College, and annual PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) payments to Thomas County.

“ENGIE, Target, T-Mobile, Brown-Forman, and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty now know what we have known in Kansas for years – our resources, whether they be our farm ground, our transportation infrastructure, our wind in this case, or most importantly the communities and people of Kansas – are second to none. I applaud ENGIE, Target, T-Mobile, Brown-Forman, and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty for the success of these projects, ENGIE’s investment in the local community college, and what all this means for Thomas County and all of Kansas,” said Kansas Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman.

“It’s entirely fitting to celebrate the power of wind here in Kansas, a state whose name stems from the Native American word that means ‘south wind,’” said Colby Mayor Gary Adrian. “For businesses and cities, we need to look at the future as an opportunity not a challenge. I’d like to thank ENGIE for the economic and clean energy engine it has become for our community here in Kansas today and for the future.”

“We’re thrilled to become a part of the community here in Kansas and want to thank all who have gathered with ENGIE today for your support,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, President and CEO, ENGIE North America and Executive Vice President in charge of ENGIE’s Global Renewable Business Line. “We’re proud to make clean, renewable energy a positive catalyst for our customers in their sustainability goals and to enable new economic and educational opportunities within Thomas County.”

Both the Solomon Forks and East Fork projects reinforce ENGIE’s strategy to lead the zero-carbon transition for companies and local authorities. They contribute to ENGIE’s rapid expansion in renewables, with an ambition to build approximately 9,000 MW of new renewable energy projects from 2019-2021 globally, including 2,500 MW of new renewable capacity in North America. The company has an additional 10,000 MW of wind and solar projects in its broader development pipeline in the U.S. and Canada.

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and a leading energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages or www.engie-na.com.

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Microsoft and ENGIE Announce Renewable Initiatives

September 24, 2019 – Chicago, IL – Microsoft and ENGIE today announced both a long-term solar and wind energy power purchase agreement (PPA) that provides 24/7 supply in the United States and implementation of Darwin, energy software developed by ENGIE using the intelligent cloud services of Microsoft Azure to optimize performance of ENGIE’s wind, solar, and hybrid (wind + solar) renewable assets worldwide.

 

The renewable deal will see Microsoft purchase a total of 230 MW from two ENGIE projects in Texas, bringing Microsoft’s renewable energy portfolio to more than 1,900 MW. Microsoft will purchase the majority of the output from the new 200 MW Las Lomas wind project, which will be located in Starr & Zapata Counties in south Texas. Microsoft will also purchase 85 MW from the 200 MW Anson Solar Center project, which will be built in Jones County in central Texas. Both projects will be operated by ENGIE and are expected to come on-line in January 2021.

“ENGIE’s ambition is to work with our customers and communities to lead the transition to a zero-carbon world,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, President and CEO, ENGIE North America and Executive Vice President in charge of ENGIE’s Global Renewable Business Line. “We are proud to support Microsoft in its plan to increasingly meet its energy needs with renewable power, and to do so in a highly customized way to meet 24/7 demand over many years.”

The relationship between ENGIE and Microsoft will not only add more clean energy to the grid in the United States, it also creates an example for how customers can procure it. This PPA includes an innovative volume firming agreement (VFA) that will convert the intermittent renewable energy supply into a fixed 24/7 power solution aligned with Microsoft’s energy needs.

In addition, ENGIE and Microsoft are advancing the digital transformation of the renewable energy sector. ENGIE’s Darwin software, currently deployed on more than 15,000 MW of assets globally, enables real-time plant monitoring and control, reporting, forecasting, performance monitoring, and predictive maintenance, among many other benefits. Darwin relies on the latest Microsoft Azure cloud, AI and IoT services. Darwin has already enabled ENGIE to increase plant availability and to enhance production performance of up to a few percent on some of its assets.

With renewable energy expected to be the largest single source of electricity growth in the next five years, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), these kinds of data-driven solutions will become increasingly important. ENGIE alone has a program to build approximately 9,000 MW of new renewable energy projects from 2019-2021 globally, with 2,500 MW of new renewable capacity planned for North America. The company has an additional 10,000 MW of wind and solar projects in its broader development pipeline in the U.S. and Canada.

“Procuring more renewable energy helps to transform our operations, but when we pair that with Microsoft’s leading cloud and AI tools, we can transform the world,” said Brian Janous, General Manager of Energy and Sustainability at Microsoft. “This agreement with ENGIE is an exciting step towards a low-carbon future, driven by capital investments and enabled by data.”

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and a leading energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our , LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages or www.engie-na.com.

About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

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ENGIE Announces Multi-Energy Market Agreement with Walmart

September 22, 2019 – Santa Barbara, CA – Today ENGIE US Wind announced that it is continuing to service Walmart’s renewable energy needs via an innovative agreement that utilizes two virtual renewable power purchase agreements (VPPAs) to enable building more than 366 MW of wind projects in different US energy markets, all under a single procurement process. This process was important to Walmart as it continues to make progress towards its goal of powering 50 percent of its operations with renewable energy by the end of 2025.

 

Walmart is purchasing 166 MW from ENGIE’s Prairie Hill project in Texas and 200 MW from ENGIE’s King Plains project in Oklahoma, with construction on both sites underway. The energy produced annually matches to portions of electricity load in Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs, and distribution centers throughout parts of the ERCOT and Southwest Power Pool markets.

“Sourcing from wind energy projects — like these from ENGIE — is a core component in the mix to meet our goals,” said Mark Vanderhelm, Vice President of Energy for Walmart Inc. “The energy we’ll
procure from these facilities represents an important leap forward on our renewable energy journey and reinforces Walmart’s broader mission to spark collective action — alongside key partners — to drive environmental sustainability.”

This deal complements Walmart’s existing VPPA with ENGIE for 150 MW at the Triple H wind project in South Dakota, where construction is also underway. Combined with the existing Triple H deal, the new Prairie Hill and King Plains deals bring Walmart and ENGIE’s collaboration to more than 500 MW of wind power in the US market. Triple H, Prairie Hill and King Plains are part of the portfolio acquired in early 2018 by a subsidiary of ENGIE North America from Infinity Power Holdings, a joint venture between Infinity Renewables and MAP® Energy.

“We are excited to expand our relationship with Walmart in such creative ways,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, CEO of ENGIE North America and Executive Vice President in charge of ENGIE’s Global
Renewable Business Line. “Walmart’s leadership in promoting sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint in all aspects of its operations has set a truly amazing example for global companies that all should follow. Our companies are fully aligned to build a zero carbon future together.”

ENGIE’s ambition is to lead the zero-carbon transition based on three pillars: Client Solutions across a broadening array of services (including on-site co-generation, heating and cooling networks, public lighting, rooftop solar); Networks to adapt them to future green gas requirements and continue to generate attractive returns and substantial cash flow; and Renewables, with a plan to add 9 GW of renewables capacity to the Group portfolio (2.5 GW in the US) by 2021 (24 GW at the end of 2018).

About ENGIE North America Inc.
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and a leading energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages or www.engie-na.com website. You can learn more about our Engie US Wind subsidiary at https://engieuswind.com.

About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 275 million customers and members visit our more than 11,300 stores under 58 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2019 revenue of $514.4 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting https://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at https://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/walmart.

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C3.ai and ENGIE Launch AI-powered Energy Management Solution for Large Institutions

September 14, 2019 – Redwood City, CA and Houston, TX – C3.ai, a leading enterprise AI software provider for accelerating digital transformation together with global energy leader ENGIE, today announced the launch of Smart Institutions, an AI-powered, holistic Energy-as-a-Service software solution for large institutions.

 

With Smart Institutions, organizations including universities, corporate campuses, cities, and hospitals, can proactively and automatically manage their buildings and energy assets to increase sustainability and decrease energy expenditures to reduce costs. The software has first been deployed at The Ohio State University as part of a plan to reduce energy use across the 485-building campus in Columbus.

In 2017, Ohio State Energy Partners, a consortium of ENGIE North America and Axium Infrastructure, signed a 50-year Comprehensive Energy Management Contract with The Ohio State University. Ohio State Energy Partners looks to drive energy savings and enable end-to-end optimization of the campus energy infrastructure to achieve a 25 percent improvement in energy efficiency over 10 years.

“When we launched our work with The Ohio State University two years ago, we looked forward to advancing new possibilities, from improving ways to heat, cool, and power the campus to collaborating on potentially transformational technologies and services that someday could be shared far beyond Columbus,” said Gwenaëlle Avice-Huet, President and CEO, ENGIE North America and Executive Vice President in charge of ENGIE’s Global Renewable Business Line. “Collaborating with C3.ai on the development of Smart Institutions has enabled us to create our own new technology solution for ENGIE customers, leading the way for other institutions looking to make meaningful progress when it comes to energy and sustainability.”

“C3.ai is accelerating digital transformation for leading organizations across every industry,” said Ed Abbo, President and CTO, C3.ai. “An Energy-as-a-Service software solution powered by the C3 AI platform, Smart Institutions is enabling cutting-edge organizations to set the standard for energy transformation initiatives.”

Through ENGIE Smart Institutions, C3.ai and ENGIE can use AI to help large institutions achieve their sustainability and financial objectives through:

  • Energy optimization: The ability to predict energy consumption, and then optimize across the entire network to reduce costs, including production, distribution, and consumption.
  • Capital planning: The ability to plan long-term capital improvements using dynamic building and network modeling to identify and prioritize a portfolio and program of capital projects.
  • Campus engagement: The ability to use data and behavioral science techniques to engage students and faculty in energy and sustainability to drive energy efficiency, research and innovation, and brand recognition.

About C3.ai
C3.ai is a leading AI software provider for accelerating digital transformation. C3.ai delivers the C3 AI Suite for developing, deploying, and operating large-scale AI, predictive analytics, and IoT applications in addition to an increasingly broad portfolio of turn-key AI applications. The core of the C3.ai offering is a revolutionary, model-driven AI architecture that dramatically enhances data science and application development. Learn more at: www.c3.ai.

About ENGIE North America
ENGIE North America Inc. offers a range of capabilities in the United States and Canada to help customers decarbonize, decentralize, and digitalize their operations. These include comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense; clean power generation; energy storage; and retail energy supply that includes renewable, demand response, and on-bill financing options. Nearly 100% of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and a leading energy efficiency services provider in the world, employing 160,000 people. For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook pages or www.engie-na.com and www.engie.com.

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