Salesforce has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with X-ELIO for the 200MW Blue Grass solar farm in Australia.
Located in the Western Downs region of Queensland, the solar farm is expected to deliver 420GWh of green energy annually.
Expected to begin full operations in late 2021, the Blue Grass facility will be able to power 80,000 Queensland homes and offsetting more than 320,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Currently under construction, the project marks X-ELIO’s first and largest solar farm development in Australia.
During the construction phase, it is expected to create a total of 400 new jobs, apart from deliver more than $200m capital investment in Queensland.
VPPA to support Salesforce’s 100% renewable energy by 2022
Under the 15-year VPPA, the Blue Grass project will supply generation certificates to meet Salesforce’s renewable energy requirements.
The project will also contribute to Salesforce’s objective to reach 100% renewable energy by 2022.
Salesforce Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer Pip Marlow said: “We are proud to team up with X-ELIO on the Blue Grass solar farm, a project which will bring jobs to regional Queensland, support the local community and deliver new renewable energy generation.
“Salesforce is on a path to 100% renewable energy and we have a plan to get there by 2022. This is an important step on this path and one which we hope inspires other leaders. The climate crisis requires bold action, today.”
In August, China Three Gorges Europe, a subsidiary of China Three Gorges (CTG) has signed an agreement with X-Elio to acquire a portfolio of solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects with a combined capacity of over 500MW in Spain.
The acquisition includes a portfolio of 13 solar projects which were constructed between 2019 and 2020.
