Green Investment Group enters into power agreements with Eramet Norway

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Macquarie’s Green Investment Group enters into agreements to supply power to Eramet Norway from its Tysvær and Buheii onshore wind farms

Through the long-term PPAs, the wind farms will provide Eramet Norway’s Norwegian smelters with predictably priced power, helping to strengthen the company’s competitiveness

Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) has entered into two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Eramet Norway, to provide a stable and long-term power supply to Eramet Norway's Norwegian smelters. The power will come from GIG’s two Norwegian wind farms - Tysvær in Rogaland and Buheii in Agder – which are currently under development. The agreements help support the competitiveness of Eramet Norway’s facilities and further strengthen GIG's role as an important partner for Norwegian industry.

"We are pleased our Norwegian wind farms will be able to deliver a predictable power supply to Eramet Norway, and we look forward to strengthening our role as an important partner for Norwegian industry."

Edward Northam
Head of GIG Europe

GIG, which already owns Tysvær Wind Farm in Rogaland, has entered into an agreement with Nordisk Vindkraft to buy Buheii Vindkraft AS, the owner of the Buheii Wind Farm. The acquisition of Buheii Vindkraft AS remains subject to certain completion conditions. Both wind farms will supply power to Eramet Norway's processing plants until 2038.

Eramet Norway is a world-leading manufacturer of manganese alloys for the global steel industry and has one of the smallest climate footprints in its industry*. With an annual electricity demand of more than 2 TWh per annum, the company relies on long-term and predictable power conditions to ensure stable and efficient operation in its processing plants in Porsgrunn, Sauda and Kvinesdal.

"With our ambitions to be in the forefront of industrial development in Norway, we need access to renewable energy. The agreement with GIG is therefore an important contribution to our power portfolio."

Bjørn Kolbjørnsen
CEO of Eramet Norway

In recent years, GIG has strengthened its operations in the Nordic region through three onshore wind projects in Sweden - Markbygden, Overturingen and Hornamossen. For the Overturingen and Markbydgen wind farms, GIG has entered into long-term power agreements with Norsk Hydro.

GIG´s wind farms will play an important role in helping Norway fulfill its climate commitments. Norway has committed to become a low-emission society in 2050 and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent in 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

The PPAs are backed by guarantees issued under the Power Purchase Guarantee Scheme administered by The Norwegian Export Credit Guarantee Agency (GIEK). The Scheme aims to ensure that Norwegian industrial companies with high electricity demands can enter into long-term power contracts at a predictable price.

Both the power contracts and GIEK's guarantees are subject to GIG making a final investment decision to build out the projects. GIG is now awaiting final approvals from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (OED) to start the construction of the wind farms.

Notes to Editors

* Update of study on CO₂ emissions in silicon and manganese ferroalloys for Norsk Industri, May 2016, Alloy Consult.