Boston Scientific, which specialises in medical technology, has chosen a Spanish project to advance its decarbonisation strategy towards zero emissions. The US company has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Germany's BayWa r.e., associated with production from its solar power plant in Dos Hermanas (Seville).

The agreement will on the one hand, guarantee the viability of the recently built and operational solar plant, with a capacity of 15.1 megawatts. On the other hand, it will also put 80% of the energy that the technology firm consumes across Europe on the market. It is, in fact, the first agreement of its kind on the old continent.

Energy strategy
The contract is for ten years and guarantees Boston Scientific's access to renewable energy to cover the majority of its energy needs in Europe. This is one of the cornerstones of the company's C3 energy strategy, which envisages reducing energy use, converting to renewable energy and offsetting unavoidable emissions.

The goal is to obtain 100% of electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2024 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Net zero greenhouse gas emissions are expected to reach its entire value chain by 2050.

Health of patients and the planet
Boston Scientific's Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain, Paudie O'Connor, explained that their goal of improving patient health “is closely tied to the health of the planet, and we have a responsibility to protect the world we all share,” and he added, “This power purchase agreement reinforces our commitment to sourcing renewable energy in a region of growth for our company, where environmental sustainability is an increasingly important issue for our customers”.

BayWa r.e.'s Head of PPA, Daniel Parsons, said this is the first deal he has signed with a company in the healthcare sector, “which shows that renewable energies continue to gain ground in a wide range of industry sectors”. On the other hand, he said, “We have been actively involved in the renewable energy PPA market since its inception, and we are very proud to see this type of green energy solution becoming more and more established across Europe”.

^{Photo: BayWa r.e.}