Hershey Co. signs agreement to cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030

Paula Wolf, Contributing Writer//April 23, 2021

By Paula Wolf, Contributing Writer

The Hershey Co. has announced two clean energy partnerships to develop solar projects in the U.S. as it moves its operations toward the use of clean and renewable energy.

“Renewable energy investments and energy efficiency projects are a key focus area for Hershey to achieve its goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by more than 50% by 2030,” according to a release. 

The first project is in Camden, North Carolina, where Hershey has made a 15-year power purchase agreement that will enable the financing and construction of the company’s first utility-scale solar farm, a 20–megawatt facility on 218 acres. It’s being developed by global renewable energy developer BayWa r.e.

Once completed, the solar farm will reduce carbon dioxide emission by 32,025 metric tons per year, the equivalent incurred from driving more than 80 million miles in the average passenger car, the release said. Construction is expected to be completed in late July.

The second partnership is a solar power purchase agreement with National Grid Renewables for 50 megawatts of the Noble Project in Denton County, Texas. Hershey’s solar contract will account for an estimated 118,000 megawatt hours per year, creating a reduction of approximately 83,625 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to charging more than 10 billion smartphones.

Together, the projects will reduce Hershey’s carbon dioxide footprint by 115,650 metric tons each year, the release said, and support the company’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the global best practice of the Paris climate agreement.

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