UPS recently announced new plans to more than quadruple its solar energy use this year with an $18 million renewable energy expansion project. The shipping giant plans to add 26,000 solar panels to help provide more sustainable energy to its 2,580 global facilities, starting with at least eight U.S. based locations.
No Stranger To Solar
UPS is no stranger to solar; they began employing solar panels at their Palm Springs, CA facility back in 2004 and later implemented them in Lakewood, Parsippany, and Secaucus, NJ.
Other sustainability investments have included $750 million put toward alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and fuel stations around the world. UPS has said these changes have amounted to nearly $200 million in savings.
Savings In Costs And Carbon
In their latest solar power rollout, UPS aims to increase their power generating capacity by approximately 10 megawatts, which is enough to power 1,200 U.S. homes for one year. Each building will be able to rely on the sun for 50% of its energy needs.
The program is also expected to save 8,200 metric tons of annual carbon emissions.
In Good Company
Reduced energy costs have been a growing concern for many other major companies, including those counted among the Fortune 500, which have made renewable energy use a collective target.
As of 2014, the majority of the companies that make up the Fortune 100 have reportedly saved a total of $1.1 billion dollars in energy costs through renewable energy investments.
Will Energy Savings Keep U.S. Industry Strong?
As major companies continue to report energy savings and invest in solar technology, could we be seeing a major industrial shift towards renewable power? If solar and wind make it cheaper to maintain operations, will these energy sources help keep manufacturers and service companies based in the U.S.?
Tell us what you think of UPS’s investment and increased sustainable energy projects in the comments.
Article Sources
http://www.computerworld.com
http://www.manufacturing.net
http://solarindustrymag.com
