Renewable Energy Powered Corporations

Solar prices have fallen and businesses are quickly making the switch to solar, including large corporations. Corporate solar is known to have a significant impact, producing enough electricity to power 402,000 U.S. homes and offset 2.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Along with major efforts to move towards solar, corporations have adopted several renewable energy initiatives to power their businesses.

Amazon

Amazon is a huge global company that has made the switch to solar! Amazon has committed to power their operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 as part of their goal to reach net zero carbon by 2040. As of June 2020, Amazon has 91 renewable energy projects across the globe that have the capacity to generate over 2,900 megawatts (MW) and deliver more than 7.6 million megawatt hours (MWh) of energy annually. This is enough energy to power more than 680,000 U.S. homes. Read more about their initiatives here.

Walmart

Walmart is another corporation that is targeting zero emissions in their operations by 2040 globally. They intend to harvest enough wind, solar and other energy sources to power their facilities with 100% renewable energy by 2035. “Solar is a vital component of Walmart’s expanding renewable energy portfolio,” said Mark Vanderhelm, Vice President of Energy for Walmart Inc., “Walmart plans to tirelessly pursue renewable energy projects that are right for our customers, our business and the environment.”

Kohl's

Last year Khol’s announced their sustainability goals with three areas of focus: climate action, waste and recycling, and sustainable sourcing. Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief executive officer stated, “At Kohl’s we are committed to being a responsible corporate citizen, making our communities stronger by supporting initiatives and organizations that focus on health and wellness, sustainability, and environmental efforts that benefit all families. We are proud to share our sustainability goals that support Kohl’s efforts to enhance our standing as a retailer of purpose.” As part of their initiative, they plan to expand renewable energy platforms by building off the company’s existing 161 solar and wind locations. Read more about Kohl's sustainability initiatives here.

Apple

Apple has already reached a carbon neutral status. However, it unveiled a plan in July 2020 to become carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030. “Businesses have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future, one born of our common concern for the planet we share,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The innovations powering our environmental journey are not only good for the planet -- they’ve helped us make our products more energy efficient and bring new sources of clean energy online around the world. Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth. With our commitment to carbon neutrality, we hope to be a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change.” Apple will remain at 100% renewable energy for its operations -- focusing on creating new projects and moving its entire supply chain to clean power. Read more about Apple’s renewable energy initiatives