Lockheed Martin announced 17-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for solar-generated electricity produced by Duke Energy Renewables.
The renewable power purchase, which is expected to produce 30 megawatts of solar energy for the U.S. national grid, will provide clean energy across all Lockheed Martin domestic business segments.
The new solar facility, operated by Duke Energy Renewables in Conetoe, North Carolina, is currently the largest solar power generating facility east of the Mississippi River producing 80 megawatts of total energy.
Carol B Cala, vice president of Energy, Environment, Safety and Health at Lockheed Martin, said: “We have a goal to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2020 based on our 2010 emissions.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed Lockheed Martin as one of the top rated corporations on its 2015 ranking of the largest green power users. Lockheed Martin uses nearly 260,000 megawatt hours of green power annually including renewable energy credits, which is enough to meet 16 percent of the corporation’s electricity use.
Duke Energy Renewables’ portfolio of commercial renewable assets includes 18 wind farms and 35 solar farms in operation in 12 states, totaling about 2,500 megawatts in electric-generating capacity.