Ocean Breeze is the operator of the BARD Offshore 1 wind farm located 100km off the coast of Germany. Completed in July 2013, BARD Offshore 1 pioneered the industry as the first commercial offshore wind farm in the German North Sea.
From September 2024, the BARD Offshore 1 wind turbines are to be gradually switched to a fixed price regime. Through the VPPA, Mars and Cargill will enable the wind farm to continue producing green electricity without relying on feed-in tariffs. This agreement illustrates the opportunities for the German offshore wind industry as other projects look to transition to sell power to the private market in the coming years.
Over the 6.3-year term, Cargill's commitment to the project is set at an average capacity of 35 MW, projected to yield 712,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy, effectively avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 442,000 MT CO2. This energy will reduce emissions associated with purchased electricity at 12 Cargill facilities across Germany, underscoring Cargill's dedication to investing in renewable energy sources.
Similarly, Mars joins the initiative with a 15 MW share, expected to generate 320,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean electricity over the 6.3-year term, thereby mitigating greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 77,440 MT CO2. This is yet another example of Mars' commitment to sustainability and sourcing renewable energy globally.
Jean Huby, CEO of Ocean Breeze Energy, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating: “This is an exciting milestone for Ocean Breeze as we are further securing an outlet for our electricity production for the long term. We are also very proud to partner with Cargill and Mars, to contribute to the much-needed transformation of European energy systems, while on their journey to net zero.”
“Cargill’s commitment to climate action spans our entire business and focuses on feeding a growing global population more sustainably,” said Christina Yagjian, Cargill Renewable Energy Leader. “This partnership with Ocean Breeze and Mars is a great step forward in our efforts to reduce operational emissions and decarbonize the food and agriculture industry.
Kevin Rabinovitch, Global Vice President, Sustainability and Chief Climate Officer, Mars, Incorporated, said: “Collaboration is a must for the global community to drive impactful climate action and reach emission reduction goals outlined by the best available science. In line with these goals, Mars is on an ambitious path to reduce its emissions globally by 50% by 2030 on our journey to achieve net zero by 2050 – and transitioning to 100% renewable energy is essential in making this possible. The partnership between Ocean Breeze, Cargill and Mars on the use of clean energy is a the latest instance of the Mars investment and long-term commitment to a better, more sustainable tomorrow.”
Sustainability and energy advisory company Trio (formerly known as Altenex Energy, an Edison Energy company), worked with Cargill and Mars on the Ocean Breeze agreement, facilitating the VPPA process and providing support across PPA strategy, sourcing, contract analysis and negotiation
“Through their aggregated power purchase agreement with Ocean Breeze Energy, Cargill and Mars continue to drive significant emissions reductions as part of their broader renewable energy and sustainability commitments," said Hannah Badrei, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Global Energy Advisory at Trio. “Trio is proud to have served as the clean energy advisor on this supply chain aggregation transaction, which reflects another step forward in Europe's transition to a decarbonized economy.
Ocean Breeze recently announced its partnership with RWE Supply and Trading which will handle the physical energy trading and now the VPPAs with Cargill and Mars.
Media enquiries Dr. Daniel Brickwell, Chief Commercial Officer, Email: daniel.brickwell@oceanbreez.de, Tel: + 49 421 41650 422
About Ocean Breeze Energy GmbH& Co. KG
Ocean Breeze Energy GmbH & Co. KG Ocean Breeze Energy is the owner and operator of BARD Offshore 1 (BO1), a North Sea offshore wind farm approximately 100 km off the coast of Germany. BO1 was Germany’s first commercial scale offshore wind farm when it entered operations in 2013. With its 80 turbines it reaches a maximum capacity of 400 MW. Ocean Breeze Energy is 100% owned by funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management.
About Cargill
Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.
Our 160,000 team members innovate with purpose, providing customers with life’s essentials so businesses can grow, communities prosper, and consumers live well. With 159 years of experience as a family company, we look ahead while remaining true to our values. We put people first. We reach higher. We do the right thing—today and for generations to come. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars,Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality snacking, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With more than $47 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including Ben’s Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We are creating A Better World for Pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About Trio
Impact. Together. Trio is a global sustainability and energy advisory company that helps large commercial, industrial and institutional organizations navigate the clean energy transition. A subsidiary of Edison International, Trio provides integrated strategy and implementation services – in sustainability, renewables, energy procurement, conventional supply, energy optimization and transportation electrification – to help the world’s largest organizations meet their strategic, financial and sustainability goals. Visit trioadvisory.com