Steelcase Inc., a global leader in the office furniture industry, recently announced a 12-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Apex Clean Energy for 25 MW of wind power. Since 2014, Steelcase has invested in renewable energy credits equivalent to 100 percent of its global electricity consumption. This latest investment will make up nearly half of Steelcase’s renewable energy purchases, directly supporting the construction of a new clean energy facility set to begin operations in 2016 and further diversify the company’s renewable energy portfolio.
“Our decision to partner with Apex and execute a long-term renewable energy agreement reflects our longstanding commitment to drive a clean energy landscape,” said Jim Keane, Steelcase president and CEO. “At a time when businesses and governments are working to align on climate strategies, we maintain a sense of urgency and optimism. We are focused on finding new ways to reduce our overall energy use and investing in innovative, economically beneficial projects like this one to take one step closer to a sustainable energy future.”
Under Steelcase’s long-term PPA with Apex’s Grant Plains Wind project — a 150-MW facility in Grant County, Oklahoma — Steelcase is committed to support production of approximately 100 million kWh of clean, renewable wind energy each year. This amount is equal to approximately 70 percent of Steelcase’s U.S. electricity usage, roughly equal to the electricity needed to power 9,100 homes per year.
“Apex is proud to partner with Steelcase to help the company achieve its renewable energy goals,” said Mark Goodwin, president of Apex Clean Energy. “Our mission is to accelerate the shift to clean energy, and we do so by providing opportunities for visionary companies like Steelcase to participate in the energy market in the manner that makes the most sense for them. Steelcase has proven itself to be a leader in renewables investment, and we’re pleased that Grant Plains Wind fits with its corporate strategy.”
Steelcase has a long history of supporting renewable energy development that dates back to 2001. The company is one of the top 50 green power users in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and received a Green Power Leadership Award from the EPA in 2014.
“After a record-setting year in 2015 for corporate renewable energy purchasing, we commend Steelcase for starting off 2016 with such a powerful long-term commitment for clean wind energy,” said Lily Donge, a principal at the Rocky Mountain Institute and its business renewables center, of which Steelcase and Apex are a member and sponsor, respectively.
— Source: Apex Clean Energy
For more information, go to www.apexcleanenergy.com.
