General Motors (GM) has announced a landmark 15-year renewable energy purchase agreement with NorthStar Clean Energy to power three of its key assembly plants with renewable electricity. The deal, GM’s largest to date, will leverage NorthStar’s Newport Solar project in Newport, Arkansas, to provide clean energy to GM’s Lansing Delta Township Assembly and Lansing Grand River Assembly in Michigan, as well as the Wentzville Assembly site in Missouri.
The Newport project, boasting a capacity of 180 megawatts, is a significant component in GM’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. This agreement further advances GM’s commitment to powering 100% of its U.S. sites with renewable electricity by 2025, a goal secured through finalized energy sourcing agreements in 2022.
NorthStar’s Newport Solar site will generate enough electricity annually to power 30,000 homes, a contribution that GM says will greatly reduce the company’s carbon footprint. “By expanding our renewable electricity portfolio, we are taking a major step forward in reducing our carbon footprint and advancing our broader sustainability goals,” said Rob Threlkeld, GM director of global energy strategy.
With sourcing agreements now spanning 17 renewable energy plants across 11 states, GM has become the automotive industry’s largest buyer of renewable power by capacity, marking a crucial milestone in the company’s pursuit of a sustainable future.
