(Credit: Pixabay)PepsiCo, Inc. today announced plans to achieve 100% renewable electricity for its US direct operations this year. The US is the food and beverage company's largest market and accounts for nearly half of its total global electricity consumption.
PepsiCo's shift to renewable electricity in the US this year is expected to deliver a 20% reduction in company-wide direct operations (Scopes 1 and 2) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to a 2015 baseline. This represents a significant contribution to the company's goal of reducing absolute GHG emissions across its global value chain by 20% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.
To achieve 100% renewable electricity, PepsiCo plans to target a diversified portfolio of solutions. These include Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs), which finance the development of new renewable electricity projects such as solar and wind farms, as well as renewable energy certificates (RECs), which are credits certified by independent third parties that support existing green electricity generation from renewable sources. In 2020, PepsiCo's portfolio will feature more RECs, then will gradually move toward PPAs and VPPAs by 2025.
Alongside these measures, PepsiCo continues to expand its onsite renewable electricity. The company recently installed new solar panels at its global headquarters in Purchase, NY, complementing other solar energy installations throughout the country. These include Frito-Lay facilities in Modesto, CA and Casa Grande, AZ, as well as PepsiCo beverage facilities in Fresno, CA and Tolleson, AZ, among others.
Good news: The deadline for the 2020 Environment + Energy Leader Awards has been extended to January 20! Get details about submitting your entry here.
