Imerys Enters Long-Term Partnership with TotalEnergies for Renewable Power at its Santa Barbara County Facility
A TotalEnergies solar and battery storage solution to bring 130-year-old Lompoc industrial site into new era of sustainability and smart energy management
HOUSTON and LOMPOC, Calif., May 16th 2023 – Imerys, the world's leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions is collaborating with TotalEnergies to install a large-scale solar power system paired with battery energy storage at its Lompoc facility in Santa Barbara County, California, as part of a long-term energy services contract. This project is in alignment with Imerys’ commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its global facilities and will eliminate approximately 7,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
TotalEnergies will install, maintain and operate at its Lompoc facility a 14.8 MWdc ground-mounted solar array and 7.5 MWh energy storage system for Imerys under a 25-year Power Purchase and Storage Services Agreement (PPSSA).
This collaboration is part of Imerys’ decarbonization roadmap in line with its commitment to align with the 1.5°C trajectory. Imerys targets to reduce its CO2 emissions by 42 percent in absolute terms (tCO₂eq) by 2030, with 2021 as a base year, based on the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) requirements.
The Lompoc industrial site began its diatomite mining and processing operations in the 1890s. The new renewable power installation will cover 50 percent of the current electrical energy demand of the site.
“This project highlights Imerys’ approach to reducing CO₂ emissions and enabling us to produce clean, smart energy across our plants in the Americas. This is a pivotal step to combat climate change and to manage the energy we buy in the region as we continue to invest and develop low-carbon products for our customers as well as extract and transform minerals responsibly and sustainably,” commented Imerys Vice President Performance Minerals Americas Jim Murberger.
The TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA team first engaged with Imerys to evaluate which of the company’s U.S. facilities offered the greatest viability for solar. Under the PPSSA agreement, TotalEnergies will finance, install and operate the Lompoc facility’s solar-plus-storage system.
“We remain committed to helping Imerys achieve its sustainability goals with projects around the world, now with a focus on their U.S. operations,” said Managing Director of TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA Eric Potts. “TotalEnergies is proud to be one of Imerys’ energy transition partners, and we applaud the company for investing in solar power and energy storage to reduce its environmental impact.”
The solar-plus-storage system, which is expected to be fully operational in three years, features a ground-mounted single axis tracker solar PV system with bi-facial modules to maximize energy generation and will produce roughly 30 GWh annually.
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About Imerys
The world’s leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions for industry with €4.3 billion in revenue and 14,000 employees in 2022. Imerys delivers high value-added, functional solutions to a great number of sectors, from processing industries to consumer goods. The Group draws on its understanding of applications, technological knowledge and expertise in material science to deliver solutions by beneficiating its mineral resources, synthetic minerals and formulations. Imerys’ solutions contribute essential properties to customers’ products and their performance, including heat resistance, hardness, conductivity, opacity, durability, purity, lightness, filtration, absorption and water repellency. Imerys is determined to develop responsibly, in particular by fostering the emergence of environmentally-friendly products and processes.
TotalEnergies and renewables electricity
As part of its ambition to get to net zero by 2050, TotalEnergies is building a portfolio of activities in electricity and renewables. At the end of 2022, TotalEnergies' gross renewable electricity generation installed capacity stood at almost 17 GW. TotalEnergies will continue to expand this business to reach 35 GW of gross production capacity from renewable sources and storage by 2025, and then 100 GW by 2030, with the objective of being among the world's top 5 producers of electricity from wind and solar energy.
About TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.
Imerys Contacts
Mathieu Gratiot: Media and Crisis Communication Director - mathieu.gratiot@imerys.com
TotalEnergies Contacts
Marie Maitre: Head of External Relations U.S. - marie.maitre@totalenergies.com
Cautionary Note
The terms “TotalEnergies”, “TotalEnergies company” or “Company” in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies’ financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Universal Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).