Meijer Moves Ahead With Solar Project
Meijer is taking new steps to lighten its carbon footprint – literally and figuratively. The Midwest retailer is taking part in a solar project that enables it to purchase a portion of energy generated by Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions.
The solar project at Pisgah Ridge in Navarro, Texas, which recently broke ground and should be completed by the end of 2022, is estimated to generate about 200,000 megawatt hours of clean energy dedicated to Meijer, cutting 103,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the retailer’s operations. Meijer’s agreement with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, shepherded with help from renewable energy advisor Schneider Electric, covers at least 15 years of clean energy power.
"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," said Rick Keyes, Meijer’s president and CEO. "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."
Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, said the partnership is part of utility-scale solar projects that are making a difference. "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," Fallon remarked.
This project is the latest effort from Meijer to slash half of its absolute carbon emissions by 2024. The company expects to engage in more strategic partnerships to achieve its sustainability goals, which also include waste reduction, recycling and sustainable product assortments, among other initiatives.
Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer operates 257 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The company is No. 18 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food retailers in North America.
