Air Liquide procures solar under 10-year contract with Shell in Italy

May 18 (Renewables Now) - French industrial gases supplier Air Liquide (EPA:AI) said on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement to procure 52 GWh of solar power per year for its operations in Italy.

The group signed a ten-year contract with energy commodities trader and marketer Shell Energy Europe Limited to secure the supply from 2023. The amount of installed solar PV capacity needed to deliver the contracted volume is 42 MW, Air Liquide said.

The procurement will enable the French group to power its industrial and medical gas production in the north-east of Italy, allowing the facilities to meet a large part of their needs for electricity. Air Liquide signed previously signed agreements to purchase renewable power in several markets, including the US, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium, in line with its sustainability targets.

Shell Energy Europe off-takes wind and solar energy from power plants in mainland Europe and the UK and offers clean energy solutions to business customers. The trader is present in 14 European power markets.