Arla strives for 100 percent green electricity in Denmark

Arla and Eurowind Energy have entered into a 10-year power purchase agreement, which the dairy giant hopes will help it reach its target of 100 percent green electricity for dairy plants and production in Denmark by 2025.

The electricity will come from an unsubsidised wind farm in Jammerbugt Manicipality, which aims to deliver 137 GW/h electricity. This is the equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 34,000 Danish households.

As the decade-long agreement transpires, the green energy from the turbines should provide an annual saving of 58,000 tonnes of CO₂, which corresponds to eight percent of Arla’s total CO₂ footprint.

Arla’s environmental target was presented in January and with the purchase agreement with Eurowind Energy, it says it is certain to reach its environmental goal.

The partnership will come into effect on 1 January 2025, but the wind farm is expected to become operational from November 2024. Arla is buying the renewable power from an unsubsidised wind farm called Nørre Økse Sø, which is located near the town of Brovst in Jammerbugt Municipality.

”Every day, we work on fulfilling our climate goals – both in terms of production and among our owners. This involves being able to produce all our products with green electricity. The new agreement is therefore an important milestone in our climate work. And I am proud that there already now is clarity about the path to deliver on this ambition,” said Hanne Søndergaard, Sustainability Director at Arla.

Arla’s interest in renewable energy is also evident in its energy harvesting from solar cells, biogas engines and own units from Arla farms throughout Denmark.

Overall, through various initiatives, Arla has reduced its CO₂ emissions from production by 25 percent since 2015.

”At Arla we are fully committed to reducing our climate footprint so that consumers can continue to enjoy our dairy products. We have therefore doubled our ambitions across our production and now have a target to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 63 percent before 2030. Reaching our target of 100 percent green electricity in Denmark is a good step on the way,” said Søndergaard.