At this writing, our world is confronted by incomparable challenges. Regions of the world still face the COVID-19 pandemic or variants. We remain deeply concerned by tragic human suffering in Ukraine and condemn actions of war when the world should be making greater efforts for peace.
The global threat of climate change also remains very real. There is much talk about the energy transition but talk alone is insufficient to address climate change. Companies and countries taking real action through real investment in real projects is what will make a meaningful difference. At Air Products, I am proud that our more than 20,000 worldwide employees are taking real action, developing and executing first-mover projects providing real sustainability benefits. In doing so, they are living our higher purpose as a Company and bringing lower-carbon forms of energy to the world.
For example, Air Products is teaming up with World Energy to build a new $2 billion major expansion project at World Energy’s California Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production and distribution hub. It will be the world’s first commercial scale and North America’s only SAF production facility, expanding total fuel capacity to 340 million gallons annually. Air Products is building a $4.5 billion clean energy complex in Louisiana to produce low-carbon hydrogen that will reduce our customers’ carbon intensity and reduce transportation emissions. We are also building a multi-billion-dollar net-zero hydrogen energy complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that will help our customers reduce carbon intensities, provide emissions-free fuel in the transportation sector, and generate clean electricity. These projects complement our multi-billion-dollar green ammonia production facility joint venture in NEOM, Saudi Arabia that will make and export carbon-free hydrogen to global transportation markets. These projects are tangible energy transition difference makers.
Importantly, Air Products already makes a difference every day through the industrial gases and technologies we supply our customers to improve the sustainability of their operations. In 2021, Air Products’ customer-avoided carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e) totaled 82 million metric tons, or more than three times our own combined Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions.
We remain confident in meeting our challenging “Third by ’30” carbon intensity reduction goal while we reimagine what’s possible in the future.
While working to support the energy transition and our customers, we also remain committed to our employees. Safety will forever be a priority at Air Products, with the ultimate goal of zero injuries. To drive our goal to be the world’s most diverse industrial gas company we set goals for female representation globally and for minority representation in the U.S. in our professional and managerial population by 2025. In 2021, we exceeded our previous goal for minority representation in U.S. professional and managerial roles and set a new, stretch goal.
These achievements are only possible through the commitment and motivation of the team at Air Products. Our people are the real enablers of a cleaner future, working alongside our customers to help solve pressing energy and environmental challenges.
We appreciate you taking the time to read this report, which shows sustainability in action at Air Products.
As always, we thank you for your interest in our Company.
Seifi Ghasemi
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officers of Air Products