Carlisle, PA — The GIANT Company today announced a long-term renewable supply agreement with Constellation, a leading competitive energy and energy solutions provider, to power its Pennsylvania operations including select stores, fuel stations and perishable distribution centers with renewable energy.
Backed by The GIANT Company’s commitment, Constellation has entered into separate long-term power purchase agreements to procure a total of 80 megawatts of renewable energy. The solar projects, which will be developed by Pine Gate Renewables, are expected to achieve commercial operation between June 2022 and January 2024.
The Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from these projects are not included in this agreement and will be transacted separately. The GIANT Company will receive approximately 155 million kilowatt hours of energy per year from the long-term power purchase agreement, with that energy matched by Green-e® Energy Certified RECs sourced from renewable facilities located throughout the U.S.
The agreement will help The GIANT Company avoid more than 100,000 metric tons of carbon emissions associated with its energy use annually, the equivalent of taking nearly 24,000 cars off the road, according to U.S. EPA estimates.
“Supporting renewable energy projects like solar is one of the many ways The GIANT Company is working to heal the planet for the families we serve today and in the future,” said Nicholas Bertram, president, The GIANT Company. “This project is a significant step in further reducing our Scope 2 carbon emissions and achieving our overall sustainability goals. It reaffirms our commitment to being a sustainable grocer and responsible steward of the communities we serve, all while bringing jobs and economic benefit to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
To simplify the purchase, The GIANT Company will use a solution that builds off of the Constellation Offsite Renewables (CORe) retail power product, which enables the development of, and increases businesses’ access to, renewable energy projects by removing the significant hurdles associated with traditional offsite power purchase agreements (PPAs). By combining the simplified contracting and aggregation process of CORe with the commitment and involvement from sustainability-minded companies, Constellation is able to offer more customers the ability to demonstrate their support of large-scale, offsite renewable energy projects.
“We applaud The GIANT Company on supporting the development of new-build renewable energy assets through its genuine commitment to sustainability,” said Mark Huston, president of Constellation’s National Retail Business. “We’re pleased to help The GIANT Company deliver on its carbon reduction goals while making a positive impact on the environment.”
In June 2020, The GIANT Company completed a two-phase solar project at its Carlisle, Pa. corporate headquarters, which includes a 625kw rooftop solar array and seven-acre pollinator-friendly solar field, enough to generate renewable power for the entire campus. The GIANT Company was also the first grocery retailer and first Pennsylvania participant to take part in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s InSPIRE study, where scientists measure and track the performance of the pollinator-friendly ground cover for applications to future solar energy projects.
Representing The GIANT Company, Amerex Energy Services worked with Constellation to design and implement this renewable product structure. To learn more about how The GIANT Company is helping to heal the planet, visit giantfoodstores.com/pages/our-purpose.
Dec 12, 2024
