Belgium's Bekaert to buy power from 461-MW Romanian wind farm

Belgian steel wire transformation and coatings producer Bekaert SA (EBR:BEKB) has committed to buying electricity from the 461-MW Vifor project in Romania in an effort to cut its carbon footprint and back its sustainability goals.

The company has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (PPA) with Actis-backed Rezolv Energy, which is executing the project with UK renewables investor Low Carbon. According to a statement on Thursday, the contract covers 100 GWh of the site’s generation for 10 years.

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Touted as one of the largest PPAs ever signed in the region, the off-take deal will help Bekaert lower its annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 41,000 tonnes.

Vifor’s Phase One will involve the installation of 30 Vestas V162 turbines and is planned to go online before the end of 2025. Phase Two will add the remaining capacity and make a further 700 GWh available to corporate buyers. The 461-MW complex, to be located in the Buzau County of southeastern Romania, is due to be fully operational in late 2026.

Last month, three European units of Deutsche Telekom AG signed up to procure 100 GWh of electricity per year from Vifor’s first stage. Their cross-border contracts will be in force for 12 years.