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CLEAN ENERGY USE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IRENE ESPINOLA Global Renewable Energy Director at Grupo Bimbo
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Q: Grupo Bimbo is a world-renowned bread-maker and
individually or the project as a whole. In the end, we realized
also part of the RE100 global initiative. What was the main
the most beneficial thing to do was to select a partner
reason for joining and what is its purpose?
at a national level because it is quite complicated to have
A: RE100 is a collaborative, global initiative that brings
various partners and control all this equipment in many
together more than 100 influential businesses committed to
locations. We are working with Enlight on this project as it
100-percent renewable electricity consumption. In fact, we
is the biggest distributed generation company in Mexico.
are the first company in Mexico and even in Latin America to join this movement. Generally, in these initiatives, Grupo
Q: What was the main driver behind being the first
Bimbo participates as an agent of change. The idea is that
company to issue a CEL through distributed generation?
after taking the first step, more companies follow up by
A: We do not have a set goal for CEL but we already have
identifying successful case studies. This has an important
covered this requirement due to the legacy contract the
impact in Mexico as renewable energy is the best option
company holds with Piedra Larga’s wind farm. As Grupo
for achieving sustainability. For Grupo Bimbo, being able
Bimbo, we do not need to accomplish that goal as we
to use clean energy represents a competitive advantage
are registered as basic users with CFE, so we are already
from a social, environmental, and economic perspective.
paying for CEL in the tariff CFE is charging. Even so, we are participating with our distributed generation facilities. The
Q: What is the company’s guideline when selecting
goal is to generate 5 percent of clean energy in 2018 and
strategic alliances to work with?
to increase that to 8 percent in 2019. We do not need that
A: Grupo Bimbo is present in 32 countries. Our strategic
renewable energy certificate as we are already covered but
allies are located in every region we open. We do not always
the idea is to offer these certificates in the market for other
work with the same companies but we explore options in
companies that cannot invest in clean technologies but must
each location. When we enter a country, we get to know
comply with this requirement. So far, Enlight has served as the
the current legislation and open auctions related to energy
generator and ENGIE has acted as our qualified supplier for
topics. For these auctions, we seek out companies that we
trading these certificates in the market. This company reports
already know so they can introduce us to other players. In
these CEL in the system and collocates them in the market.
the end, the energy industry is small and we know each other. These auctions are open to the market and any player
Q: What differentiates Mexico from the other 31 countries
that wants to participate, can do so.
where Grupo Bimbo holds operations? A: Mexico was the first country where we started with
Q: What is Grupo Bimbo’s role is the solar distributed
the RE100 initiative. We began in 2012 with the Piedra
generation segment?
Larga wind farm located in Oaxaca. Through this project,
A: We are installing 20MW at our 42 producing plants in
we supply 70 percent of our national operations. The
Mexico through this scheme. This project is already being
remaining 30 percent comes from solar distributed
executed and we hope to finish it by July 2019. For this
generation and the installment of another wind farm.
project specifically, we conducted a national auction
With this capacity, Grupo Bimbo produces 40 percent
process. We weighed whether to address installments
of its global energy supply through renewable energy generation. For 2019, we have signed a contract with Invenergy to construct a 100MW plant in Texas that
Grupo Bimbo is a world-renowned Mexican bread-maker with
will start operations this same year. This installment will
operations in 32 countries in the Americas, Asia, Africa and
provide an additional 35 percent capacity globally. With
Europe. The company produces more than 13,000 products
this, we still face a 25 percent generation deficit that will
through 100 different brands, employing 139,000 people
be supplied from other geographies.
