Energy Efficiency, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  June 11, 2018

Sysco signs for solar gardens in Texas

Sysco Corporation announced it has signed a ten-year renewable energy agreement for electricity from three solar gardens to be constructed in the Houston and Dallas areas. The gardens, expected to be operational by Q1 2019, will support approximately 10% of Sysco’s U.S. electricity usage.

In a statement from Sysco, a global foodservice distribution company, Tom Bené, president and CEO said, "We are excited to further Sysco’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. The Texas Solar Garden Project is a new addition to several initiatives we have in place to address our carbon footprint. Reducing the environmental impact of our operations makes good business sense as we continuously improve efficiencies in our supply chain."

The solar gardens will be constructed by a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. "Renewable power is an important part of Sysco’s energy strategy," said Robert Gaudette, president of NRG Business Solutions. "To help them meet their ambitious goals, NRG customized a simple electricity solution, in a familiar fixed price structure, that benefits Sysco’s operations, bottom line and the environment."

 The solar garden sites total 25 MW megawatts of RE generation and will support the majority of the company’s electricity load in Texas, including Sysco’s corporate headquarters. The program is expected to reduce approximately 37,000 tons of CO2 emissions a year.

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