Innovative and sustainable building solutions provider Holcim US and TotalEnergies announced their partnership to deploy large-scale solar power and battery energy storage to Holcim's Portland cement plant in Florence, Colorado. TotalEnergies will install, maintain and operate a 33 MWdc ground-mounted solar array and 38.5 MWh battery energy storage system at the plant.

 

The project utilizes high-performance bifacial solar panels combined with single-axis solar trackers to maximize energy yield. The integrated energy storage system helps to reduce the impact of the plant's energy consumption on the local utility grid, particularly during on-peak periods.

 

Together, TotalEnergies' solution is anticipated to reduce the plant's CO2 emissions by more than 40,000 tons annually and offset over 40% of its current energy demand. Holcim will receive roughly 71,000 MWh of clean power from the project per year under a power purchase and storage services agreement (PPSSA) with a minimum term of 15 years.

 

Holcim has established a series of goals to enhance its sustainability leadership and aims to power all its US operations with 100% renewable energy by 2050.

 

"This initiative with TotalEnergies demonstrates an ongoing determination to transform our operations and lower our carbon footprint. It's a milestone investment that will decrease our reliance on other sources of energy and shrink our utility costs through a powerful combination of clean energy and efficient operations," said Atl Martinez, VP of Procurement for Holcim North America.

 

The project is expected to be operational in 2025.