We are years away from having large factory operations fueled by clean energy, but General Motors (GM) made a significant announcement last week. A 516-kilowatt
solar array at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will generate enough electricity to charge 150 Chevrolet Volts daily, or over 54,000 a year.
The
partnership with DTE Energy should save GM US$15,000 a year for the next 20 years.
Construction will begin later this year on six acres adjacent to the plant--facing south to maximize the array’s solar output.
The solar array is just one small part of GM’s move to be a leaner, energy-efficient operation. An oxidizer at this plant already reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emitted into the atmosphere, and lighting upgrades and a bevy of other energy efficient features should save the company US$3 million a year at this plant in total.
A GM electric motor plant near
Baltimore will also benefit from solar panel as well.
Some may scoff at what is a relatively tiny project, and indeed GM only receives 1.4% of its power from clean energy sources. Nevertheless, if projects like this can become even more cost effective, look for more projects at GM and at other large industrial companies.
About The Author
Leon Kaye
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division,
GGP Media.
Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based
Triple Pundit,
Inhabitat and now
The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's
Architect Magazine.
Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
We are years away from having large factory operations fueled by clean energy, but General Motors (GM) made a significant announcement last week. A 516-kilowatt solar array at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will generate enough electricity to charge 150 Chevrolet Volts daily, or over 54,000 a year.
The partnership with DTE Energy should save GM US$15,000 a year for the next 20 years.
Construction will begin later this year on six acres adjacent to the plant--facing south to maximize the array’s solar output.
The solar array is just one small part of GM’s move to be a leaner, energy-efficient operation. An oxidizer at this plant already reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emitted into the atmosphere, and lighting upgrades and a bevy of other energy efficient features should save the company US$3 million a year at this plant in total.
A GM electric motor plant near Baltimore will also benefit from solar panel as well.
Some may scoff at what is a relatively tiny project, and indeed GM only receives 1.4% of its power from clean energy sources. Nevertheless, if projects like this can become even more cost effective, look for more projects at GM and at other large industrial companies.
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