According to reports, General Motors (GM) has signed a 15-year agreement with NorthStar Clean Energy for its Newport Solar Project in Arkansas, which will provide renewable energy to three of GM's U.S. assembly plants.
On August 7, NorthStar announced that the agreement will supply 180 megawatts of power to GM's Lansing Delta Township and Lansing Grand River assembly plants in Michigan, as well as the Wentzville assembly plant in Missouri. This amount of power is sufficient to supply electricity to 30,000 households annually.
The NorthStar Clean Energy solar power plant in Arkansas spans 2,000 acres and features approximately 500,000 solar panels. The President of NorthStar Clean Energy commented, "This is beneficial for removing a significant amount of emissions from the atmosphere."
On August 15, Rob Threlkeld, GM's Global Energy Strategy Director, stated in a release, "By expanding our renewable energy portfolio, we are making a significant step forward in reducing our carbon footprint and achieving broader sustainability goals." According to Threlkeld, GM has been working to diversify its renewable energy portfolio, with about 50% coming from wind power.
GM's Chief Sustainability Officer Kristen Siemen noted that this agreement aligns with the company's broader sustainability goals, including the launch of new electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Blazer, Equinox, and Silverado. Siemen said, "We are very focused on what we can achieve and are making steady progress towards our goals of reaching these targets by 2035."
GM aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its global products and operations by 2040. In 2022, the company completed an energy procurement agreement to ensure that all its U.S. plants will be powered by renewable energy by the end of 2025.
According to Bloomberg NEF, GM has signed agreements with renewable energy providers in 17 facilities across 11 states, making it the largest buyer of renewable energy in the automotive industry.
GM's Lansing Delta Township plant produces the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, and GMC Acadia Limited; the Lansing Grand River plant manufactures the Cadillac CT4 and CT5, including the V-Series; and the Wentzville plant produces the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups, as well as the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans. Rob Threlkeld acknowledged, "Focusing on the energy efficiency of our own plants is crucial."
