Holcim US and TotalEnergies are partnering to bring large-scale solar power and battery energy storage to Holcim’s Florence, Colo., cement plant.
In line with Holcim’s pledge to power all of its U.S. operations with 100% renewable energy by 2050, TotalEnergies will install, maintain and operate a 33-MW dc ground-mounted solar array and 38.5-MWh battery energy storage system at the operation.
“As we work to accelerate green growth across the United States, it’s critical that we come to the table with partners who share similar goals around circularity and renewable energy,” said Atl Martinez, vice president of procurement for Holcim North America. “This initiative with TotalEnergies demonstrates an ongoing determination to transform our operations and lower our carbon footprint. It’s a milestone investment that will decrease our reliance on other sources of energy and shrink our utility costs through a powerful combination of clean energy and efficient operations.”
The project’s solar array will be optimized for maximum energy yield with single-axis solar trackers that follow the sun’s movement through the day and high-performance bifacial solar panels that generate power on both the front and back sides. The energy storage system aims to reduce the plant’s impact on the local utility grid, particularly during on-peak periods when regional demand for electricity is high.
The TotalEnergies solar-plus-storage solution is anticipated to reduce the plant’s CO2 emissions by more than 40,000 tons annually and offset over 40% of its current energy demand. Holcim will receive roughly 71,000 MWh of clean power from the project per year under a Power Purchase and Storage Services Agreement with a minimum term of 15 years.
“TotalEnergies applauds Holcim’s strong track record of sustainability leadership in the energy-intensive building materials industry, and we are proud to serve as their energy transformation partner,” said Eric Potts, managing director, TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA. “Our team looks forward to leveraging our expertise in on-site renewable energy solutions as we support Holcim’s transition to 100% renewable operations in the U.S.”
Operations of the renewable energy system are expected to begin in 2025.
