ENGIE (50%) and Axium Infrastructure US (50%) have won a 50-year concession valued at $1.165 billion USD to address The Ohio State University’s energy sustainability goals for its 485-building campus in Columbus, Ohio, one of the largest university campuses in the United States.
Following detailed reviews by groups composed of students, faculty, and staff who identified the ENGIE-Axium proposal as the top bid, the university’s Board of Trustees approved the contract award on April 7, culminating a more than two-year-long process in which 40 interested parties initially participated.
Signature elements of the Comprehensive Energy Management Project include:
Isabelle Kocher, ENGIE CEO, declared: “We are very proud and excited to support Ohio State in its quest to become an international leader in sustainability while providing new resources to enhance its academic mission. This first-of-its-kind public private partnership is perfectly in line with ENGIE’s strategy to drive a specific customer centric approach in territories. District energy networks are among the most efficient and cost-effective ways to reduce the carbon footprint. Within ENGIE, it is our conviction that district heating and cooling networks can be the backbone of better, more sustainable campuses and cities.”
“Axium is thrilled to join forces with ENGIE to deliver world class energy services to Ohio State, and to advance the visionary sustainability objectives put forward by the Ohio State community,” said Thierry Vandal, President of Axium Infrastructure US.
“This partnership positions us as an international leader in energy and sustainability and further strengthens Ohio State as a national flagship public research university,” said Ohio State University President Michael V. Drake.
Having worked as business partners in Canada for the past five years managing a portfolio of large-scale wind and solar installations totaling 680 MW, both ENGIE and Axium are long-term operators and investors.
ENGIE operates over 250 district heating and cooling networks around the world, meeting long-term energy needs for businesses and the public sector. ENGIE has a long history in Europe, where it is among the market leaders, and is developing its footprint in Asia, the Middle East and North America.
Founded in 1870, Ohio State University enrolls nearly 60,000 students on its Columbus campus, and welcomes approximately 100,000 people every weekday during the academic year.
About ENGIE
ENGIE develops its businesses (power, natural gas, energy services) around a model based on responsible growth to take on the major challenges of energy’s transition to a low-carbon economy: access to sustainable energy, climate-change mitigation and adaptation and the rational use of resources. The Group provides individuals, cities and businesses with highly efficient and innovative solutions largely based on its expertise in four key sectors: renewable energy, energy efficiency, liquefied natural gas and digital technology. ENGIE employs 153,090 people worldwide and achieved revenues of €66.6 billion in 2016. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main international indices: CAC 40, BEL 20, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe, DJSI World, DJSI Europe and Euronext Vigeo (World 120, Eurozone 120, Europe 120 and France 20).
About Axium
Axium is a long-term, buy-and-hold infrastructure investment firm with over $1.5 billion in assets under management, as well as approximately $1 billion in managed co-investments. Axium currently holds a diversified portfolio of power and energy, transportation, and social infrastructure assets, including substantial investments in renewable energy to date, with interests in nearly 2.5 GW of wind, solar and hydroelectric power generation across North America.
Anne-Sophie Roy
Tel : +1 514 954 3781
Email : asroy@axiuminfra.com
