Thermo Fisher Scientific has taken a significant step toward achieving its sustainability goals by signing a 10-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with renewable energy developer X-ELIO. This agreement supports the Lorca solar project, which is set to become operational in 2026 and aims to increase access to renewable electricity for Thermo Fisher and its partners in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
The company’s 73 MW share of the Lorca solar project, combined with the Serbal solar project announced in 2023, will enable Thermo Fisher to power all of its addressable European sites with 100% renewable electricity. The Lorca project will produce approximately 150,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually, equivalent to powering around 40,500 European homes for one year.
This achievement accelerates Thermo Fisher’s progress toward its global sustainability target of achieving 80% renewable electricity by 2030, as part of its comprehensive net-zero emissions strategy.
“When we collaborate with our customers and suppliers, we accelerate our collective progress toward net-zero emissions,” said Konrad Bauer, senior vice president, global business services, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Achieving 100 percent renewable electricity for our European sites is a significant milestone on our journey, and as cohort lead for this agreement facilitated by the Energize initiative, we are committed to leveraging our experience and insights to help enable similar milestones for our partners.”
Driving Decarbonization Across the Supply Chain
The Lorca solar project was developed through collaboration with a cohort of Thermo Fisher’s value chain partners—GSK, Gilead Sciences, and Haleon—under the Energize initiative. This program, managed by Schneider Electric and the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative, connects pharmaceutical companies and their suppliers to renewable energy solutions.
As part of this agreement:
- The project will reduce Scope 2 emissions (from purchased electricity powering company facilities) and Scope 3 emissions (from value chain partners).
- Thermo Fisher will serve as the cohort lead, leveraging its expertise to foster renewable energy adoption strategies across the healthcare sector.
“Making the most out of our energy and resources is crucial as we collectively move toward more sustainable solutions across industries and around the world,” said John Powers, vice president, global renewables at Schneider Electric. “The Energize program aims to drive supply chain decarbonization across the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries while serving as a playbook for other sectors as they look to power their operations with renewable energy.”
A Commitment to Net-Zero by 2050
Thermo Fisher continues to lead global sustainability efforts through its commitment to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 (based on 2018 levels) and power all of its U.S. sites with renewable electricity by 2026.
By participating in the Lorca project, Thermo Fisher reinforces its alignment with the Sustainable Markets Initiative Health Systems Task Force joint supplier standards and continues to drive innovation in addressing climate challenges across the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.
The company’s leadership in renewable energy adoption serves as a blueprint for other sectors seeking to accelerate progress toward a more sustainable future.
