Patagonia has signed a power purchase agreement to supply its UK stores in Manchester and Bristol with 100% community-owned renewable energy. The supplier will be Energy Garden, a community wind and solar initiative. Patagonia has also agreed to pay an additional premium to support Energy Garden’s local community projects. The deal was organised by Younity – a joint venture by Octopus Energy and Co-Op Energy for community-led clean power.
Energy Garden is a London-wide Community Benefit Society organisation that acquires community-owned renewable energy assets and organises community-led urban ecological projects. In 2021, they maintained 27 ‘energy gardens’ across London.
Patagonia claims this is the first time a private sector company has purchased community-generated renewable energy. The billion-dollar outdoor clothing brand is renowned for integrating sustainability and social responsibility into its business model. They offer a product range that emphasises quality built to last.
The PPA is not Patagonia’s first engagement with community-owned energy. In April 2021, Patagonia launched the ‘We the Power’ campaign promoting the UK and EU community-owned energy movement. Patagonia also released a short documentary film on citizen-led community energy across Europe.
The business is pursuing other lofty sustainability goals, aiming for 100% of their materials to be renewable and recycled raw, lifetime repair guarantees, and fair-trade certification for their factory workers. Patagonia claims that 87% of their 2021 fall/winter collection fabrics are made with recycled materials with feedstock from used spandex, polyester, nylon, down, and fishing nets. By 2025 they aim to reach carbon neutrality across their entire business including their supply chain.
Patagonia is a California business founded in 1973 by alpinist Yvon Chouinard. Its estimated revenue in 2019 was $800 million. The international brand is a world-leader in ESG rankings, according to public opinion research consultancy GlobeScan and global think tank SustainAbility. Their survey asked 700 experts from over 71 countries to identify companies running the most sustainable business operations.
Community-based wind farms are becoming more common in Western Europe, especially in Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In Germany, half of all renewable energy comes from community-owned projects. These projects have different ownership structures ranging from private, public, and cooperative models to a combination of the three.