Industrial, Solar  -  October 1, 2020

GM inks PPA with 180 MW Arkansas solar project

General Motors announced Sept. 30 a new PPA for a 180 MW solar project that will source power for 100% of their Wentzville Assembly and Lansing Delta Township Assembly sites.

With this deal, GM surpasses 1 GW in total renewable energy use company-wide. The auto manufacturer completed the agreement with First Solar, who developed the solar project in Arkansas. When the project comes online in 2023, GM expects to have achieved 60% of their goal to source 100% renewable electricity for their U.S. sites by 2030.

The remaining power from the Arkansas solar farm not used at the first two GM locations will be allocated to Lansing Grand River Assembly. The company will also have the option of storing excess energy for future use, which will be a first for GM.

“As GM continues its transition to an all-electric, zero-emissions future, it is imperative that we also invest in a cleaner grid that can support everything – from our factories to our vehicles,” Dane Parker, GM Chief Sustainability Officer, said in a statement. “Investments like these have increased access to renewable power, and with this deal we are exploring the next frontier of renewable energy, which integrate the principles of circularity and energy storage, among others.”

GM recently announced that they received a 2020 Green Power Leadership Award in the Excellence in Green Power Use category. The company has also been focusing on progressing projects that increase their use of renewable energy in their operations through a combination of PPAs, green tariffs and on-site projects.

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