Meijer partners with Texas solar project as it seeks to cut carbon emissions by half – EQ Mag Pro

GRAND RAPIDS : Meijer has signed an agreement to purchase renewable energy from a solar project in Texas as part of its effort to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2025.

The Walker-based retailer signed the agreement with North Carolina-based Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, which is developing the Pisgah Ridge solar project on 1,800 acres in Navarro County, Texas. In a news release, Meijer said it will purchase energy from the project for 15 years.

The solar project is expected to be complete by the end of this year.

“At Meijer, we are motivated to make an impact in the local communities we serve, and beyond, by doing our part and taking the necessary steps to reduce carbon emissions,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said in a statement. “Meijer has made significant progress over the years to integrate sustainability into our daily operations. We’re committed to these ongoing efforts and a project like this brings us closer to our industry leading sustainability goals.”

In a news release, Meijer said the solar project in its first year is expected to generate 200,000 megawatt hours of energy dedicated to Meijer. That would amount to a reduction of more than 103,000 metric tons of greenhouse gasses. It’s an amount that, according to a news release, is equal to “removing more than 20,000 vehicles from the road, or the carbon sequestered from 125,000 acres of U.S. forests.”

The solar power Meijer is purchasing from the Texas project will not be used by the retailer. Instead, the energy will be pumped into the Texas energy grid, according to Meijer. The idea is to offset Meijer’s use of fossil fuel burning energy with clean, renewable energy. Meijer receives renewable energy credits for its purchase.

In January, Meijer announced its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2025. The retailer, which operates 258 supercenters and grocery stores across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, said it would seek to cut emissions by using LED lighting, purchasing renewable energy and piloting new technology, such as “energy-saving geothermal projects for refrigeration,” according to a news release.

Rising greenhouse gas emissions are a leading cause of climate change.

Meijer said its carbon footprint, which comes from using energy created by burning fossil fuels, consists of electricity use, refrigeration and transportation. The company says it has reduces its carbon emissions by 17% since 2014.

“Renewable energy assets like the Pisgah Ridge Solar project contribute to a cleaner, stronger economy and help create a more diverse energy infrastructure. We’re pleased to be working with Meijer to create jobs, strengthen the local economy and generate cleaner energy, while also helping them address their carbon reduction goal,” Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, said in a statement.

By purchasing energy from the solar farm, Meijer will reduce its carbon emissions by 11%, the company said.

The terms of Meijer’s contract with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions were not disclosed.

Source: mlive