Salesforce inks REC deal with Powertrust for 280 GWh

US cloud computing company Salesforce.com Inc (NYSE:CRM) on Tuesday committed to procuring 280,000 MWh of renewable energy certificates from distributed energy projects in emerging markets.

The purchased distributed renewable energy certificates (D-RECs) will support high-impact projects located in Brazil, India, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. These have so far been largely excluded from corporate renewables purchasing, the company noted. The procurement will take place under an eight-year contract with renewable power aggregator Powertrust.

“Nearly 95% of corporate renewable energy purchases today take place in North America and Europe. We need to ensure the rest of the world isn’t left behind,” said Megan Lorenzen, lead for power sector decarbonisation at Salesforce.

The targeted projects will be located in schools, hospitals, public service facilities, or in disadvantaged communities.

Salesforce estimates that the solar power purchases will help unlock some USD 65 million (EUR 60.7m) of new project investments, with total contracted electricity offsetting more than 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.933)

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