TGS, a global provider of energy data and intelligence, today announced the completion of a landmark solar energy parking canopy installation at its Houston operational headquarters, one of the largest commercial solar installations in Houston to date. The company will host a ribbon-cutting celebrating the project on Wednesday, September 7, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., at 10451 Clay Road in Houston.

“This ribbon cutting ceremony will commemorate a milestone — our first major step toward our goal of becoming a net-zero company,” said TGS Chief Executive Officer Kristian Johansen. “For several years, our employees have been asking for covered parking facilities, and we are excited to provide an innovative solution that both satisfies their request and provides a sustainable solution in line with our carbon-reduction goals.”

The September 7 ribbon-cutting ceremony at TGS’ Houston headquarters will be held beneath the new carport solar installation, showcasing it to its best advantage. The program will include remarks by TGS leadership, City of Houston officials and representatives of Freedom Solar, which designed the project and installed the arrays.

The TGS installation is comprised of fifteen solar arrays covering 210 spaces in the employee parking lot, providing employees ample covered space and shelter from the hot Texas sun. Those fifteen arrays are made up of 1,650 modules that will produce some 901,710 kilowatt hours (KWh) of energy annually. That will enable TGS to slash its carbon dioxide emissions by 1.4 million pounds annually, the equivalent of planting nearly 11,000 trees a year, and help create a more stable, resilient Texas electricity grid.

TGS estimates its solar canopies will provide almost 60% of the Houston facility’s daily energy consumption and costs. Because the Houston office contributed 74% of TGS offices’ total global emissions in 2021, the net effect of the installation will be to cut TGS’ total global carbon dioxide emissions by about 50% while the company continues to explore clean energy initiatives for its other offices.

In early 2021, TGS announced its commitment to being net zero in its Scope 1 emissions and 2 emissions by 2030. Transitioning the company’s offices to renewable energy is critical to achieving this objective. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by a company, such as fuel burned in buildings, vehicles and equipment. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from purchased electricity, steam, heat and cooling in buildings and production processes.

TGS has undertaken significant sustainability efforts, as well. For example, its offices in Oslo, Norway, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, already utilize hydropower. Additionally, TGS began composting organic waste in its Houston headquarters and has diverted an astounding 21,799 pounds of waste from area landfills to date.

TGS conceptualized the Houston project and undertook it in partnership with The RMR Group, which manages the building that houses the TGS Houston headquarters. Austin-based Freedom Solar, the leading turnkey solar energy installer in Texas and the nation, designed and installed the solar canopy. The project will be fully operational by September 1.

“Solar energy is progressively becoming more affordable and will provide TGS a tremendous cost savings year over year,” said Johansen. “With the support of quality partners like RMR Group and Freedom Solar, we have been able to complete this project and make real progress toward greenhouse gas emissions and attaining our global net-zero goals.”

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