MINNEAPOLIS, April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of
this year's Earth Day celebration, National Grid Renewables has
announced the signing of three solar power purchase agreements
(PPAs) for the Noble Project (Noble) currently under construction
in Denton County, Texas. Noble
consists of 275 megawatts (MW) of solar and 125 megawatt hours
(MWh) of battery storage. The Home Depot and NRG have each executed
individual 100 MW solar PPAs, and The Hershey Company has
contracted for a 50 MW solar PPA.
Using the United States'
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) greenhouse gas
equivalencies calculator, Noble is estimated to offset carbon
dioxide emissions by 450,000 metric tons annually during the first
20 years of operation and will support the clean energy goals of
The Home Depot, NRG, and The Hershey Company.
"Our partnership with National Grid Renewables reinforces our
commitment to reduce our impact by continually improving the
efficiency of our operations and expanding investments in renewable
and alternative energy," says Ron
Jarvis, Chief Sustainability Officer at The Home Depot. "We
are on track to meet or exceed our goal to procure or produce 335
megawatts of renewable or alternative energy by 2025."
"The call to decarbonize our economy continues to grow," said
Robert Gaudette, Senior Vice
President of NRG Energy, Inc. "We look forward to taking another
step toward a more sustainable energy future. Through renewable
energy and the support of local communities, we are able to provide
our customers with more energy solutions."
"As a company, our sustainability goals are changing the way we
do business," said Jeff King, Senior
Director of Global Sustainability and Social Impact for The Hershey
Company. "Solar projects, like Noble, will help us continue on our
path towards increasing reliance on clean and renewable energy
across all of our operations."
Noble is anticipated to begin operation in the first half of
2022 and will positively impact the local economy throughout
construction and operation. During construction, Noble is
anticipated to employ approximately 250 workers and will boost
spending at local businesses. Throughout the first 20 years of
operation, Noble is projected to benefit the community through the
creation of approximately $26 million
in new tax revenue, 3-5 on-site operations and maintenance jobs,
and over $1 million in donations
funded by Noble through a local charitable initiative.
"National Grid Renewables is proud to work with some of the
nation's most prominent businesses to bring Noble forward for the
local community of Denton and the
state of Texas," stated
David Reamer, Head of Development,
US Onshore Renewables for National Grid Renewables. "Like all
renewable energy projects, Noble will provide impactful,
cost-effective, and reliable clean energy generation that will
create tremendous economic benefits for local businesses and
residents."
Noble will utilize next-generation Series 6 thin film solar
modules developed and produced by First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR).
"By using First Solar modules, Noble will generate some of the
lowest carbon solar electricity possible today," said
Georges Antoun, Chief Commercial
Officer, First Solar. "With this project, National Grid
Renewables demonstrates how lower carbon, responsible solar
electricity produced with American solar technology can
competitively and reliably power iconic US businesses."
About National Grid Renewables
National Grid
Renewables, part of the competitive, unregulated National Grid
Ventures division of National Grid (NYSE: NGG), develops, owns and
operates large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States, including solar, wind and
battery storage. As a farmer-friendly and community-focused
business, National Grid Renewables develops projects for
corporations and utilities that seek to repower America's
electricity grid by reigniting local economies and reinvesting in a
sustainable, clean energy future.
National Grid Renewables has a robust development pipeline of
wind, solar and battery storage projects in various stages of
development throughout the United
States, as well as geographically diverse operational assets
across the country. It supports National Grid's vision of being at
the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future for all.
Please visit www.nationalgridrenewables.com to learn more.
About Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world's largest
home improvement specialty retailer. The Home Depot operates a
total of 2,298 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, 10
Canadian provinces and Mexico. In
fiscal 2020, The Home Depot had sales of $132.1 billion and earnings of $12.9 billion. The Home Depot employs
approximately 500,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded
on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the
Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500
index.
About NRG
NRG is bringing the power of energy to
people and organizations by putting customers at the center of
everything they do. They generate electricity and provide energy
solutions and natural gas to millions of customers through its
diverse portfolio of retail brands. A Fortune 500 company operating
in the United States and
Canada, NRG delivers innovative
solutions while advocating for competitive energy markets and
customer choice, working towards a sustainable energy future. NRG
is committed to a science-based goal of reducing carbon emissions
by 50 percent by 2025 and achieving net-zero by 2050. More
information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG on
Facebook, LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter @nrgenergy.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is
headquartered in Hershey, Pa. and
is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness
to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and
enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has
approximately 17,000 employees around the world who work every day
to deliver delicious, quality products. Hershey has more than 90
brands around the world that drive more than $8 billion in annual revenues, including such
iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher,
Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop, and Pirate's Booty. In March 2021, Hershey announced new commitments to
advance its environmental progress and contribute to global climate
action, including ambitious new goals to reduce its global
emissions in line with the global best practice of the Paris
Climate Agreement, to limit global temperature rise to
1.5°C. For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to
operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder,
Milton Hershey, created the Milton
Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on
helping children succeed. To learn more visit
www.thehersheycompany.com.
About First Solar
First Solar is a leading American
solar technology company and global provider of
responsibly-produced eco-efficient solar modules advancing the
fight against climate change. Developed at R&D labs in
California and Ohio, First Solar's advanced thin film
photovoltaic (PV) modules represent the next generation of solar
technologies, providing a competitive, high-performance,
lower-carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV
panels. From raw material sourcing and manufacturing through
end-of-life module recycling, First Solar's approach to technology
embodies sustainability and a responsibility towards people and the
planet. For more information, please visit www.firstsolar.com.
Contact:
Lindsay Smith
Director, Marketing & Communications
National
Grid Renewables
lindsay@nationalgridrenewables.com
952-358-5672
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SOURCE National Grid Renewables