Commercial, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  November 4, 2021

Giant Company to Power Pennsylvania Operations with Renewable Energy

The Giant Company, a Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based grocer, said it would enter into a long-term solar supply agreement to power its Pennsylvania operations including select stores, fuel stations, and perishable distribution centers.

The agreement was signed with Constellation, allowing the energy provider to enter into separate long-term PPAs to procure a total of 80 MW of solar energy. The projects, which will be developed by Pine Gate Renewables, are estimated to reach commercial operation between June 2022 and January 2024.

The RECs from these projects are not included in this agreement and will be transacted separately. The Giant Company will receive approximately 155 million KWh of energy per year from the agreement, with that energy matched by Green-e® Energy Certified RECs sourced from renewable facilities located throughout the U.S.

The agreement will help The Giant Company, which has 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, and 107 fuel stations, avoid more than 100,000 metric tons of carbon emissions associated with its energy use annually. 

“This project is a significant step in further reducing our Scope 2 carbon emissions and achieving our overall sustainability goals, said Nicholas Bertram, president, The Giant Company, in a statement. “It reaffirms our commitment to being a sustainable grocer and responsible steward of the communities we serve, all while bringing jobs and economic benefit to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

The Giant Company will use a solution that builds off of the Constellation Off-site Renewables (CORe) retail power product and enables the development of and increases access to renewable energy projects by removing the hurdles associated with traditional offsite PPAs.

In June 2020, The Giant Company completed a two-phase solar project at its Carlisle, Pennsylvania headquarters, which includes a 625 kW rooftop solar array and seven-acre pollinator-friendly solar field, which is enough to generate renewable power for the entire campus. The company was also the first grocery retailer and first Pennsylvania participant to take part in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s InSPIRE study where scientists measure and track the performance of the pollinator-friendly ground cover for applications to future solar energy projects.

Share this valuable information with your colleagues using the buttons below: