Umicore has entered into a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Ignitis Renewables to supply Umicore’s cathode active materials production plant for electric vehicles (EV) in Nysa, Poland, with renewable electricity, covering a substantial part of its electricity consumption needs.

Ignitis Renewables will provide the renewable electricity from its onshore Silesia II Wind Farm, which is under construction in southwestern Poland and will have a total capacity of 137 MW. The windfarm is expected to be commissioned by the second half of 2024. The contract runs from the start of 2025 until the end of 2034.

“Umicore is strongly committed to decarbonizing the battery materials supply chain and to achieving its goal of reaching Group-wide net zero greenhouse gas emissions for scope 1 and 2 by 2035. Electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar energy and the securing of long-term power purchase agreements, including the one with Ignitis, are key in reaching our ambitious targets.”

Géraldine Nolens, Executive Vice President ESG and General Counsel at Umicore.

This second PPA for Nysa complements an earlier long-term PPA that Umicore signed with ENGIE for the same plant and follows recent PPAs that Umicore has announced for its European facilities. Umicore’s Nysa plant is Europe’s first and still only cathode active materials facility for electric vehicles and has been using renewable electricity only for its production, right from the start of operations last year.

"Through this PPA collaboration, we are proud to support Umicore in its production of battery materials for electric vehicles in Nysa through renewable electricity and we hope to continue contributing to their path towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The PPA represents a strategic milestone in Ignitis Renewables' commitment to providing green and flexible energy solutions and enhances our capacity to deliver consistent, clean energy to partners in the Baltic states and Poland,” said Thierry Aelens, CEO of Ignitis Renewables.