Sustainability Roundtable, Inc.

Through Sustainability Roundtable, Inc.’s Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB), seven world-leading companies have signed an aggregated virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Southern Company for the renewable energy credits produced by the 180 MW Phase II portion of the Millers Branch Solar Facility in Haskell County, Texas. This long-term procurement enables the financing and development of the 180 MW solar project owned by SPC, and the project is expected to achieve commercial operation in the second quarter of 2026. Cisco, Juniper Networks, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Cadence Design Systems, IDEXX, PTC, and a large healthcare company joined this agreement, which democratizes access to the commercial and environmental benefits of utility-scale renewable energy by making procurement accessible to a broader range of enterprises. This aggregation is one of the largest peer-buyer organized aggregations to date globally. Today's announcement reflects the fact that the NZCB has achieved 86% of its goal of causing a gigawatt of new renewable energy capacity before 2025. Reaching NZCB’s gigawatt goal would generate enough energy to meet the annual average electricity needs of more than 200,000 U.S. homes while helping mitigate commercial Scope 2 emissions across the business operations of corporate buyers. This transaction demonstrates how the NZCB offers a breakthrough model for commercial collaboration in causing utility-scale renewables, beginning in North America and Europe. 

So much has happened in the first few weeks of this Trump Administration. What does it all mean? How do we move forward? SR Inc is delighted to support Boston Area Sustainability Group (BASG)'s “Making Sense of the Chaos,” a roundtable on Tuesday, March 18th dedicated to discussing these questions. This special dinner event will include facilitated small-group discussions over a family-style meal, with opportunities to switch groups between courses. Each table will focus on sustainability topics impacted by recent policy changes and executive orders. Together, we will attempt to make sense of the current political climate — and envision a way forward. As a sponsor of the event, SR Inc is glad to provide the financial support required for BASG to offer lower pricing tiers for those who need them. It’s important to us that sustainability professionals of all backgrounds can access learning and community events. Additionally, many thanks to Anna Whitney and Sebastian Weir for volunteering their time to lead roundtable discussions. Interested in attending? See the full details on EventBrite #CorporateSustainability #ClimaterResilience

Thank you to Todd Alexander and the Currents team for this great episode on how reverse auction processes can democratize corporate offsite renewable energy procurement! Kudos to James Boyle for excellent explanation and analysis of this important topic.

Utility-scale solar with integrated battery storage is "wickedly more efficient, and you don’t have a global distribution system to deal with" said James Boyle, Founder and CEO of @ Sustainability Roundtable Inc. Jim and Green Building Advisor's Justin R. Wolf recently caught up regarding the White House’s declaration of an energy emergency. Jim and Justin discussed the current issues and potential solutions in causing new renewable energy, including the recent record-breaking VPPA by the City of Cambridge. Check out the full article here:

What’s happening in the United States Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) market? SR Inc’s Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB) VPPA Opportunity Index reflects prior back-cast performance and carefully forward-modeled pricing so clean energy buyers can compare potential wind and solar VPPA performance across U.S. hubs. Proprietary SR Inc analytics break down key data, including from SR Inc partners LevelTen Energy and REsurety, to help organizations make informed energy decisions. Here are some key takeaways from the latest installment: ☁️ Market Uncertainty: While 2024 saw easing conditions for VPPA buyers, the new Trump administration introduces uncertainty. We're closely monitoring policy impacts on tariffs and the Inflation Reduction Act. ⬆️ PC EACs on the Rise: Purchaser-caused Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) are becoming more expensive as companies prioritize credible renewable energy impact. ⚡ Energy Demand Surge: Factors like AI data center growth and electrification drive unprecedented electricity demand, potentially putting upward pressure on prices. ☀️ Pricing Dynamics: Top quartile wind and solar VPPA prices increased while historical realized electricity prices decreased and forecasted electricity prices increased, impacting expected cashflows. ERCOT solar shows potential for better-than-breakeven cash flow. Despite market complexities, the NZCB continues to secure buyer-favorable terms through aggregated procurements and innovative solutions. We surpassed our initial goal of 1 GW of new renewable energy capacity and are now focused on our new target: 10 GW of VPPA advanced market commitments (AMCs) for new renewable energy through 2030. What are your biggest concerns or opportunities in the current VPPA market? Share your thoughts in the comments below! #VPPA #RenewableEnergy #CorporateSustainability #NetZero #CleanEnergy

Welcome to the second month of 2025! SR Inc is excited for growth and evolution as we help Fortune 500 and global growth companies work to align business with life. That means: - Educating the market and regulatory bodies on the need to center purchaser causation in new renewable energy procurement – and enabling Member-Clients procuring renewable energy to pursue those best practices - Preparing in-scope enterprises to embark on Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) compliance - Guiding Directors of Sustainability across industries and company sizes to advance toward best-in-class leadership with our proprietary six-phase change management plan, supported by our original, case-based management research With less than sixty months until 2030, now is the time for enterprises to band together to identify and implement best practices in more sustainable business. SR Inc is here to help companies deliver long-term, multistakeholder value creation. Will you join us? Contact Sebastian Weir at sebastianweir@sustainround.com to learn more about how we help enterprises set goals, drive projects, and report results in Corporate Sustainability. #Sustainability #SustainableBusiness #CleanEnergy

Congratulations to SBER Member-Clients Autodesk and Cisco for their inclusion in the Corporate Knights Global 100 Most Sustainable Companies of 2025! This recognition highlights their leadership in more sustainable business. Autodesk’s tools empower industries to enhance energy and material efficiency. In 2024-2025, it: - Launched Manufacturing Sustainability Insights for real-time embodied carbon data in product design - Enhanced BIM tools with lifecycle carbon assessments and digital twin capabilities - Expanded the Autodesk Sustainability Tech Partner Program, fostering collaborations to promote digitalization and resource efficiency in construction and manufacturing Cisco's Plan for Possible exemplifies its bold vision for a regenerative future. In 2024-2025, it: - Served as the anchor buyer for the Net Zero Consortium for Buyers' 180 MW Millers Branch Solar Facility, securing 15% of its U.S. renewable energy needs - Achieved 96% renewable electricity sourcing globally and 96% compliance with circular design principles in new products - Enabled 96% energy savings while increasing bandwidth by 35% in networking devices through their Silicon One chips Autodesk and Cisco demonstrate what enterprises can achieve when they seek to align business with life. Congratulations on this well-deserved commendation! (And look out for exciting news for both companies in upcoming NZCB announcements.) #Sustainability #Global100 #Leadership

One added benefit of the City of Cambridge’s record-breaking VPPA? The Prairie Solar facility supplying the power is expected to create 300 construction jobs in Champaign County, Illinois, as mentioned by pv magazine USA’s Anne Fischer. As MN8 Energy’s Alberto Fernandez told Anne, this demonstrates “how large-scale solar can provide lasting economic benefits to host communities while helping municipalities across the country achieve their sustainability goals.” Everybody wins through the Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB)!

How about some positive clean energy news? With executive orders discouraging offshore wind and encouraging fossil fuels, this month can seem like a dispiriting start to the year’s carbon prospects. Ember, a think tank, found that nearly three-quarters of the European Union’s 2024 power was derived from carbon-free energy. Specific clean energy winds included: - Solar (11%) overtook coal (10%) for the first time - Wind (17%) overtook gas (16%) for the second consecutive year - Thanks to solar growth and hydropower recovery, renewable energy comprised nearly half (47%) of EU power generation, while fossil fuels contributed only a third (29%) Ember’s report highlights that this renewables surge increases the EU’s energy resilience, reducing its reliance on imported fossil fuels and exposure to potentially volatile prices. The Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB) sees solar and wind’s continued growth as encouraging news for Europe’s decarbonization, the health of its citizens, and its long-term economic prospects. The European Green Deal’s impact demonstrates how smart policy is an essential and impactful component of the fight against human-caused climate breakdown. Interested in learning more about how the NZCB can help your enterprise procure energy attribute certificates that cause new renewable energy in Europe? Contact Sebastian Weir for more information!

Count on James Boyle and Sarah Lehan to invent a creative metaphor! Thank you, WattTime.org, for the shoutout (and for Gavin McCormick and Henry Richardson's thoughtful op-ed, which provided the spark to our own post). Get your bingo cards ready -- we expect 2025 clean energy and corporate sustainability discourse to have more illuminating, if unexpected, frameworks in store. Here's to centering purchaser causation in renewable energy procurement! #CleanEnergy #CorporateSustainability #PCEACs