Facebook, Amazon, and Anheuser-Busch continue to take significant steps to reach their clean energy goals. Read how these companies use solar and wind:
Facebook’s Utah Solar Project
The Utah Solar Project of First Solar Inc. will deliver clean energy to Facebook’s Eagle Mountain Data Center in Utah via a power purchasing agreement with PacifiCorp’s Rocky Mountain Power (RMP).
The new project will begin construction in late 2019 and have a capacity of 122 megawatts AC. This is equivalent to the energy needs of 36,000 average Utah homes. It will displace 235,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
More details about the project are at this link: Utah Solar Project
More from First Solar’s official press release at: First Solar
Amazon’s Wind and Solar Projects
Wind generation in Ireland, Sweden and the USA (California) will generate 670,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually to be purchased by Amazon Web Services (AWS). These projects, plus AWS’s other nine renewable energy projects, are expected to generate a whopping 2,700,000 MWh of renewable energy annually.
Amazon’s Peter DeSantis described each wind project as bringing “us closer to our long-term commitment to use 100 percent renewable energy to power our global AWS infrastructure.”
Also, recently in the news is Amazon’s Shipment Zero initiative. Their interim goal is 50 percent of all shipments will be net zero carbon by 2030. Another company goal is to host solar energy systems at 50 of Amazon’s fulfillment centers by 2020.
Learn more at this link: Amazon Global Wind Projects
Anheuser-Busch Uses Renewable Energy Credits
The beverage industry giant is purchasing renewable energy credits (“RECs”) from solar developer Recurrent Energy to offset energy used at 22 of Anheuser Busch’s US breweries. The credits will support a new 2,000-acre solar farm in Pecos County, Texas, that is expected to complete in 2021.
“The new solar facility is the size of 1,500 football fields and will produce 650 gigawatt hours of energy each year— the equivalent of brewing 20 billion 12-ounce servings of beer. Anheuser-Busch says the facility will help the country’s largest brewer meet its renewable energy goal for all its U.S. beers.” (Renewable Energy World June 2019)
The new agreement mirrors an agreement Anheuser-Busch has with an Oklahoma wind farm that became operational in 2017.
Belgium-based parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev has made a commitment to purchase the equivalent of 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Other beverage companies are making similar commitments, including MillerCoors.
More details are at this link: Anheuser-Busch Buys Solar Credits
View the official Anheuser-Busch press release on their news site: AB is Going Solar
Jackson Family Wines’ Onsite Solar and renewable Energy Credits
Not as much of a household name, the Jackson Family Wines was founded in 1982. Even with wineries and estate vineyards across California, Oregon, Italy, France, Australia, Chile, and South Africa, the company remains committed to green power. Last year, it received the EPA 2018 Direct Project Engagement Award for several initiatives including:
- Purchasing nearly 37 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power for 100 percent of their annual electricity usage and the power used by all 1,600 of its employees at home. The renewable generation included more than 9 million kWh of onsite solar generation and nearly 28 million kWh of renewable energy credits.
- Increasing its onsite solar generation more than 300% between 2015 and 2017.
More about the Jackson Family and others recognized in 2018 for their clean energy achievements are at this link: EPA Green Power Leadership Award Winners
Know of another exciting new renewable power purchase agreement—maybe one helping a community, state, organization or university reach its renewable goals? Please share in the comments!