General Motors (GM) has secured access to enough renewable energy to power all of its U.S. sites by 2025.
Key Details
- GM has set a goal to power all U.S. sites with renewable energy by 2025 and based on current projects it’s on track.
- The company’s original goal was to reach this landmark by 2030, but it has sourced enough energy to be five years ahead of target.
- This new goal will allow the company to avoid producing an estimated 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions that would’ve been produced in the five year gap.
Why it’s important
Global warming has been a huge topic in the business sector as many large corporations have begun trying to lessen their carbon footprint.
Many businesses including GM have sourced clean energy projects to combat climate change. GM spends about $20 million annually on energy efficiency and power demand projects, according to its website.
The company has been devoted to climate change by investing in everything from wind turbines to solar panels to create clean energy and cut back on emissions.
GM’s renewable energy portfolio includes sourcing agreements from 16 renewable energy plants across 10 different states, continuing to lead all automotive original equipment manufacturers as the largest offtaker of renewable power in the industry, according to a GM press release.
Steps ahead
GM has been devoted to clean energy for years.
In 2016 the company said it wanted to have all of its U.S. sites be powered by renewable energy by 2030 and now six years later the company is 25 years ahead of that target.
“We believe it is critical—to ourselves, to our customers and to the future of the planet—to step up our efforts and reach ambitious targets that move us closer to a more sustainable world,” says GM chief sustainability officer Kristen Siemen. “Securing the renewable energy we need to achieve our goal demonstrates tangible progress in reducing our emissions in all aspects of our business, ultimately moving us closer to our vision of a future with zero emissions.”