Global apparel retailer Gap Inc. has signed a 90 MW virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Enel Green Power North America for the Aurora Wind Project in North Dakota.
The 12-year agreement will enable the company to reach its 2020 goal to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions for its owned and operated facilities by 50% compared to 2015. The company also has a goal to reach 100% renewable energy across its global owned and operated facilities by 2030.
“We have a responsibility to reduce our climate impact. For Gap Inc., being a part of the climate solution means making strategic investments in clean energy generation,” says Art Peck, Gap’s president and CEO. “Today, we have secured a path to achieving our 2020 goal, but we must do more. I’m proud to commit to renewable energy for 100 percent of our stores, headquarters and distribution centers globally by 2030.”
Gap operates more than 3,300 stores worldwide; however, the vast majority of its distributed store fleet are leased sites located in buildings and malls owned by landlords, limiting the company’s ability to implement on-site renewable energy. The new agreement with Enel allows Gap to purchase wind energy equivalent to the energy needs of over 1,500 retail stores. The agreement provides benefits to the local grid by adding new clean generation and stabilizes operating costs for Gap in the face of fluctuating energy prices, the company says.
The wind electricity output purchased from the 90 MW portion of Enel’s 299 MW Aurora project is expected to total approximately 374 GWh each year. It will reduce GHG emissions equivalent to the carbon reduction of removing 60,000 passenger cars from the road annually.
Gap Inc. was advised on the VPPA by Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability Services, which assisted the company with its project selection and negotiations.
Enel Green Power North America will build, own and operate the Aurora Wind Project, located in Williams and Mountrail counties. Once completed by the end of 2020, the project will be able to generate approximately 1.3 TWh annually.
“This partnership with Gap Inc. demonstrates how global brands are increasingly turning to us for our extensive expertise in creating flexible and customized solutions that address unique renewable energy needs,” says Antonio Cammisecra, global head of Enel Green Power. “With partnerships like this one, which create immediate returns while furthering emission reduction strategies, Enel Green Power once again reaffirms the strong bond between sustainability and value creation.”
Photo: SVG erstellt mit CorelDraw [Public domain]
