Virtual power purchase agreement helps position Company to achieve global environmental stewardship goal of procuring the majority of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025
Kraft Heinz today announced a virtual power purchase agreement with BHE Renewables, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy business, for its operations within the United States, which make up the largest part of the Company’s North America Zone. This agreement is designed to enable Kraft Heinz to achieve its aspiration of procuring the majority of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, a key focus area of the Company’s net-zero emissions plans.
“As one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, we are committed to contributing to global efforts to reduce the ongoing threat of climate change,” said Kraft Heinz CEO and Board Chair Miguel Patricio. “In 2020, we committed to buy the majority of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025. This agreement with BHE Renewables helps put us on track to accomplish that aspiration and brings us one step closer to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”
By the end of 2022, Kraft Heinz plans to purchase enough renewable energy from BHE Renewables to offset more than 15 percent of the energy usage at its U.S. manufacturing sites; and by the end of 2025, this amount is expected to increase to approximately 60 percent. The renewable energy is planned to come from BHE Renewables’ 158-megawatt Gopher Creek wind farm in Scurry County, TX.
“We are proud to support Kraft Heinz as it carries out its commitment to create a more sustainable environment,” said Steve Rowley, Vice President, Renewable Development and Energy Markets at BHE Renewables. “Kraft Heinz has an ambitious goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and we look forward to working with them to meet their renewable energy needs.”
See related article: Bank of America Builds on its Environmental Commitment to Power its Operations with Renewable Energy, Signs New Offsite Solar Energy Agreement
This agreement is the latest in a series of renewable energy initiatives by the Company, including solar projects at three Kraft Heinz manufacturing sites in China – Qingdao, Foshan, and Shanghai – which are expected to prevent approximately 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year for the next two decades. These initiatives also include Kraft Heinz’s recent vPPA with Repsol in Spain.
Kraft Heinz continues to prioritize environmental stewardship by pursuing renewable energy opportunities around the world through utility-scale power purchase agreements (PPAs) and vPPAs.
Download the latest ESG report to learn more about Kraft Heinz’s climate ambitions and progress at www.kraftheinzcompany.com/esg.