Iraq signs US energy deals
06 FOREIGN NEWS
@ green | April-May, 2025
Equinix signs first Japan PPA
EQUINIX has signed its first renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement( PPA) in Japan with Trina Solar Japan Energy Co., Ltd.( Trina Solar International Systems Business Unit, Japan Team), securing 30 MW of renewable electricity capacity.
The 21-year agreement will commence in 2028 and will provide energy sourced from the Yufutsu Abira Solar Project located in Hokkaido. Equinix announced that this initiative aligned with its sustainability objectives and contributed
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to Japan’ s overarching decarbonisation agenda.
Equinix Japan Managing Director Kuniko Ogawa said the agreement was anticipated to assist customers in achieving their decarbonisation targets by ensuring that their data centre operations
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rely on renewable energy.
“ Equinix is expanding its renewable energy portfolio while fostering a more sustainable digital economy in Japan,” Kuniko emphasised.
Feng Chen, Representative Director and Country Head of Trina Solar ISBU Japan described the PPA as a significant milestone for the company, as it was its first corporate solar power agreement in Japan.
The collaboration reflects Trina Solar’ s commitment to clean energy and its ambition to drive
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solar development in the country. The Hokkaido solar farm is set to support Equinix’ s sustainability initiatives.
Equinix currently operates data centre facilities in Tokyo and Osaka. It has already achieved 100 per cent renewable energy coverage across its Japanese operations.
This latest agreement aims to enhance the quality of its renewable energy coverage by adding new capacity to the local grid, supporting Equinix’ s global strategy to maximise the impact of its green energy sourcing.
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Lego opens green factory
LEGO officially opened a US $ 1 billion factory in Vietnam during the week of Apr 7, designed to operate entirely on renewable energy. The facility is part of the company’ s long-term strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The new site will be powered by an integrated system of 12,400 solar panels, alongside power purchase agreements with renewable energy providers. A dedicated energy centre will house large-scale battery storage systems, enabling the plant to run independently on clean energy by early 2026.
If successful, it could become Vietnam’ s first factory to operate solely on renewable power.
According to the company, the state-of-the-art facility represents its commitment to sustainable growth and innovation while also increasing manufacturing capacity to serve children and fans in the Asia-Pacific region.
Lego’ s Chief Operating Officer, Carsten Rasmussen, noted that the environmental initiatives in Vietnam are a key part of the group’ s broader sustainability efforts.
He added that the use of battery storage and direct power purchase agreements marks a first for the company and is also among the earliest such efforts by any company in Vietnam.
The project also benefits from Vietnam’ s 2024 direct power purchase agreement policy, which allows foreign companies to procure renewable electricity directly from producers.
The factory, which will serve Southeast Asian markets, is highly automated and will eventually employ thousands of skilled workers. Some staff have already received training at
� Carsten Rasmussen, COO of the LEGO Group
Lego’ s facility in eastern China.
Beyond its clean energy ambitions, the company is undertaking several other environmental initiatives at the site. Lego has committed to planting 50,000 trees in Vietnam- twice the number removed during the construction of the 109-acre site.
The company also confirmed that it will eliminate single-use plastic packaging at this facility. This tree-planting effort marks the beginning of what Lego describes as a long-term sustainability journey in Vietnam.
Despite these advances, the company continues to rely on oil-based plastics for its bricks, which are neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable. However, Lego has pledged to find and implement sustainable material alternatives by 2030.
Iraq signs US energy deals
IRAQ has signed a series of memoranda of understanding( MOUs) with the United States to develop power plants and a large-scale solar energy project, according to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’ s media office.
The agreements mark a significant step in Iraq’ s strategy to diversify its energy mix and reduce dependence on electricity imports from Iran. As a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries( OPEC), Iraq is aiming to expand domestic power generation through strategic partnerships.
Under the first MOU, GE Vernova will lead the development of combined-cycle gas power plants with a total capacity of 24 GW. This project is expected to be the largest and most advanced in Iraq’ s history and could secure international financing from global banks.
The second MOU, signed between Iraq’ s Ministry of Electricity and UGT Renewables, outlines plans to build a 3GW solar energy project.
The initiative will include battery storage systems with a capacity of up to 500 megawatt hours( MWh), along with the modernisation of Iraq’ s power transmission and distribution networks. It also provides for the installation of up to 1,000km of new high-voltage direct current transmission lines.
In addition to infrastructure development, the agreement includes a two-year programme dedicated to technology transfer, training, and operational support. The project will be backed by the Export-Import Bank of the United States and UK Export Finance, with JP Morgan serving as the lead arranger.
A third Memorandum of Understanding( MOU) between the Iraqi Chambers of Commerce and the US Chamber of Commerce aims to boost private-sector engagement and support small and medium-sized enterprises.
The agreements come at a critical time for Iraq’ s energy sector. In March 2025, the US Department of State opted not to renew a sanctions waiver that allowed Iraq to import electricity from Iran.
The expiry of this waiver raises concerns about potential power shortages in the coming months.- @ green