General Motors has announced that all of their electrical needs for their plants in Ohio and Indiana will be met with renewable energy. GM made the announcement after pre-purchasing a total of 200 megawatts of wind energy from Ohio and Illinois wind farms, which will be fully online by the end of 2018. The energy will power a total of 20 percent of GM’s global energy use and will be utilized in plants which build the Chevrolet Cruze, Silverado, and GMC Sierra.
The new wind deals are enough to meet the electricity needs of Fort Wayne Assembly, Marion Metal Center and Bedford Casting plants in Indiana and Lordstown Assembly, Defiance Casting Operations, Parma Metal Center and Toledo Transmission plants in Ohio.
“Technology is driving solutions for mobility and safety in our vehicles, as well as the new energy solutions that build them,” said Gerald Johnson, GMNA vice president of Manufacturing and Labor. “This is the way we do business: offering vehicles that serve our customers’ lifestyle needs while providing sustainable solutions that improve our communities.”
Altenex, an Edison Energy Company and independent renewable energy advisor, supported GM in the negotiation of the power purchase contracts. GM will be the sole user of the Northwest Ohio Wind farm, a 100 MW project owned by Starwood Energy Group. Swift Current Energy will provide 100 MW from its HillTopper Wind Project in Logan County, Illinois.
