General Motors announced that it signed a 15-year purchase agreement with NorthStar Clean Energy to support three of the automaker’s assembly plants.
GM’s Largest Power Purchase Deal
A NorthStar solar project in Newport, Arkansas, will provide renewable energy to the Lansing Grand River and Lansing Delta Township assembly plants in Michigan and an assembly facility in Wentzville, Missouri.
General Motors described the agreement as the largest power purchase deal in the company’s history. The Newport site reportedly features a 180-megawatt capacity, and the location creates enough electricity to support 30,000 homes annually.
Adding to GM’s Renewable Energy Portfolio
With the addition of the Newport project, General Motors now has sourcing agreements with 17 renewable energy facilities in 11 states. These agreements make the company the largest buyer of renewable power by capacity in the automotive industry, according to BloombergNEF data cited in General Motors’ press release.
Advancing Sustainability Goals
The development comes about two years after General Motors completed the required energy-sourcing agreements to secure renewable electricity for all its U.S. sites by 2026. Both actions align with the company’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040.
Rob Threlkeld, General Motors’ director of global energy strategy, praised the deal with NorthStar, saying it advances the company’s sustainability goals.
Image Credit: General Motors
