The makers of Mars and Snickers bars are getting their green on with a new 200MW wind farm that will generate all of the electricity needs of Mars’ U.S. operations.
With an annual output of over 800,000 megawatt-hours, Mesquite Creek Wind will provide 24% of Mars’ total global factory and office electricity requirements; which is equivalent to the power needs of 61,000 U.S. households.
According to the company, the investment represents the largest long-term commitment to renewable energy use by any food manufacturing company in the USA.
Mesquite Creek Wind, situated near Lamesa, Texas and consisting of 118 1.7MW GE turbines, was developed by Sumitomo and BNB Renewable Energy. The deal with Mars will see the company receiving all the renewable energy certificates from the facility.
“We are committed to doing our part to limit climate change. We are therefore delighted to be announcing this major renewable project that takes us a big step towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral in our operations,” said Barry Parkin, chief sustainability officer at Mars, Incorporated.
“This is an innovative approach that makes great business and environmental sense.”
Mars has set a goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and a short term target of reducing fossil fuel energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2015.
Mars has also installed solar panels at some of its facilities. The company’s Henderson site in Nevada has a solar power system that generates 1.25 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually; reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 867 tonnes per year.
Other forms of renewable energy in use by the company include using local thermal springs at its Bokros, Hungary plant for heating and hot water. Facilities in Shanghai and Guangzhou, China; Poznan, Poland; Porici, Czech Republic; and Biesheim, France treat wastewater anaerobically, which generates biogas used to help power operations.
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