Building material producer Adelaide Brighton has cut out the middle man, engaging directly with renewable energy generator Infigen Energy to secure wind power for two of its cement plants north of Adelaide, and a York Peninsula quarry.
According to a report in the AFR, which was also shared on Infigen Energy’s official website, Adelaide Brighton has secured a five-year deal with the renewables business.
Infigen Energy chief executive Ross Rolfe was cited saying the energy would mostly come from the Lake Bonney wind farm in German Flat, South Australia.
Adelaide Brighton chief executive, also quoted in the story, reportedly said the building products company “sought a direct relationship with a generator able to deliver firm price over the long-term, given electricity is an important input to our overall business”.
The news is a fresh development for a pair of ongoing storylines in Australian energy. A string of deals in recent months have shown major energy users’ desire for renewables, while an ongoing debate over energy prices has made buyers warier of the role retailers play in the fluctuating wholesale price of energy.
Rolfe reportedly told AFR the direct user-generator contract worked well for the generator, as well, saying it provides more value than traditional sales through a retailer.
“We’re dealing with a range of different customers, which is promising,” Rolfe was quoted as saying.