The J.M. Smucker Co. shares first-hand how they formed strategic partnerships to advance renewable energy programs.
The J.M. Smucker Co.
Promoting Renewable Energy Progress Through Strategic Partnerships
The Situation
At Smucker, environmental stewardship is a key consideration in nearly every aspect of our operations. We are constantly working to identify ways in which we can reduce our own environmental footprint to ensure an increasingly sustainable approach to our daily work.
In addition to driving progress within our own four walls, we believe it is imperative we use our resources and relationships to amplify our impact by engaging with other like-minded organizations. One way this belief has been brought to life is through our collaborations to promote renewable energy programs.
The Solution
Our first collaboration featured a partnership with Ørsted and Schneider Electric in the construction of Plum Creek Wind Farm– a series of 82 wind turbines in Wayne County, Nebraska. Following our initial commitment, which aided in the first turbines entering commercial operation in June 2020, we expanded our participation in this project in 2022, growing our renewable energy commitment for offtake from 60MW to 100MW effective January 2022.
Our work hasn’t stopped there. In 2021, we announced our involvement as part of the first cohort of suppliers to participate in Walmart’s renewable energy accelerator, Gigaton PPA. Our participation constituted 22MW of renewable energy offtake (largest among the Gigaton PPA cohort) as part of the 76-wind turbine Sunflower Wind Farm in Marion County, Kansas, which began commercial operation in late 2023.
The two projects matched >99% of Smucker’s total grid electricity usage in CY2023.
The Impact
The two projects matched >99% of Smucker’s total grid electricity usage in CY2023 – eliminating the same percentage of the Company’s Scope 2 GHG emissions (market-based method).
As a result of our commitments and the success of these collaborations, we were humbled to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership in early 2023 with inclusion on both their National Top 100 and Fortune 500 lists.
“We not only believe The J.M. Smucker Co. is committed to creating a healthier planet for future generations, we’ve seen it firsthand,” said John Powers, Vice President, Global Renewables & Cleantech, Schneider Electric. “As the largest offtaker and co-lead negotiator within the first Gigaton PPA cohort, the Smucker team offered guidance and advice that helped deliver this project and ultimately enabled participation of other cohort members. The Gigaton PPA is a true group effort, and Smucker played an invaluable leadership role in the process.”
The two projects matched >99% of Smucker’s total grid electricity usage in CY2023.