Sustainability Brief: Cargill wind deal, construction cost pressures, and EY climate hub
Cargill signed a 12.6-year virtual power purchase agreement for 87MW of wind power in South Dakota and contracted an 85MW solar project in Oklahoma; the wind deal is expected to cut about 162,000 tonnes of CO2e annually. A Currie & Brown index found uncertainty added 12.4% to global construction project costs over the past year, with material inflation, energy volatility, and supply-chain disruption cited as major impacts. EY launched a Climate Resilience Centre of Excellence in Singapore to help Southeast Asian businesses assess climate risks and plan adaptation.
Cargill’s South Dakota wind arrangement is tied to the Sweetland Wind project and is projected to produce roughly 392,000 MWh each year, avoiding about 162,000 tonnes of CO2e annually. Its Oklahoma solar contract covers 85MW at Choctaw Fields, and together the two deals are expected to deliver about 3.3 million tonnes of lifetime CO2e reductions.
Currie & Brown’s index, based on over 1,300 construction and infrastructure decision-makers, found uncertainty raised global project-pipeline costs by 12.4% in a year—almost $2 trillion against forecast 2026 spending. Respondents most often flagged material inflation, energy price swings and supply-chain disruption. EY’s new Singapore centre aims to help Southeast Asian firms assess climate, energy and nature risks and develop resilience projects.
These developments may affect several groups. Cargill’s wind and solar contracts could support cleaner electricity supply and local project activity, while construction cost uncertainty may raise prices or delay infrastructure, affecting developers, workers and consumers. EY’s Singapore hub could help Southeast Asian businesses and communities prepare for climate hazards and energy risks. Battery and storage projects in Australia and Spain may improve grid flexibility and industrial resilience, though benefits depend on delivery timelines, costs and local conditions.