Airgas air separation unit in Texas adds wind energy to power mix

Airgas, an Air Liquide company, a supplier of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, is purchasing wind power for an air separation unit in Cleburne, Texas, making it the first Airgas primary production unit to be powered with an energy mix that includes locally sourced renewable energy. The unit produces liquid argon, nitrogen, and oxygen and will run on wind power mixed with other energy sources, cutting the overall carbon footprint by an estimated 15,840 metric tons per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions associated with the electricity used by approximately 3,000 U.S. homes every year.

Airgas began receiving wind power at the Cleburne plant in November from a nearby subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources LLC, a generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. Airgas is leveraging around 20% of the renewable wind electricity purchased through an Air Liquide Power Purchase Agreement announced in 2018.

Airgas will continue to increase its renewable energy mix for primary production units in contribution to Air Liquide Group efforts to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions by 33% by 2035, on the path to carbon neutrality by 2050.