GM Has Enough Renewable Energy for all US Sites by 2025

General Motors (NYSE:GM) said today it has finished renewable energy sourcing agreements required to secure 100% of the energy needed to power all its US facilities by 2025. This is keeping with the accelerated target announced in September 2021, which is 5 years ahead of the 2030 target announced in early 2021, and 25 years ahead of the initial target of 2050 set in 2016.

It’s the latest move in the climate wars by automakers that no longer deny the real damages incurred by fossil fuel use. By using renewable energy, GM aims to avoid 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions that would have been produced between 2025 and 2030. This equals the emissions produced by burning 1 billion pounds of coal. (AutoInformed.com on: Climate Change Car Wars – GM to Reach 100% Renewable Energy in 2025)

“We believe it is critical – to ourselves, to our customers and to the future of the planet – to step up our efforts and reach ambitious targets that move us closer to a more sustainable world,” said Kristen Siemen, GM chief sustainability officer. “Securing the renewable energy we need to achieve our goal demonstrates tangible progress in reducing our emissions in all aspects of our business, ultimately moving us closer to our vision of a future with zero emissions.”

GM’s renewable energy portfolio now includes sourcing agreements from 16 renewable energy plants in 10 states, continuing to lead all automotive OEMs as the largest offtaker of renewable power in the industry. Since 2017, the portfolio has also produced over $75 million of positive cash flows.

In 2019, GM became a founding member of what is now known as the Clean Energy Buyers Association, said to be the largest group of corporate renewable energy buyers in the US. CEBA brings companies together to “unlock market access, helping organizations of all sizes find cost-effective pathways to buying renewable energy.”