GM Shares Blueprint for Accelerating and Scaling Corporate Renewable Energy Plans

General Motors has created a downloadable blueprint for accelerating and scaling a corporate renewable energy plan, intended to help companies of all sizes and industries create efficiencies, gain internal support and drive progress.

Topics covered include:

• Practical tactics to help gain companywide support
• Tips to determine the best renewable energy mix
• Best practices to scale efforts and reach goals faster
• Resources for further learning and engagement
• Trends and future outlook for corporate renewable energy use

More companies are realizing the economic opportunity in addressing climate change, such as new revenue streams, cost savings and reduced risk. For GM, this action also aligns with its values – one of which is to create sustainable solutions that improve communities. The company believes the future is electric and its teams are thinking holistically about product and energy strategies so that cleaner cars drive on a cleaner grid, providing benefits to customers.

GM’s decades-long approach to sourcing renewable energy has produced lessons learned that helped the company further reduce its environmental footprint and save $80 million along the way. Today, GM saves $3 million annually from using renewable energy, a number expected to increase as more projects come online.

GM is working toward meeting the electricity needs at all of its global operations with renewable energy – such as wind, sun and landfill gas – by 2050. By the end of 2018, it will surpass the 20 percent mark. The commitment represents all the facilities where the company pays utility bills, which includes both manufacturing and non-manufacturing buildings leased or owned by GM.   

“It’s important to talk to other companies who execute renewable energy deals, to discuss the challenges and get advice on how to do it faster and better,” said Rob Threlkeld, GM global manager of renewable energy. “Collaboration and best practice sharing are key to continued progress, as we can all benefit from this collective knowledge.”

GM shares its experiences and engages with a number of renewable energy forums and networks such as the Business Renewables Center and Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance. Companies can also pledge to go 100 percent through RE100, a global group of businesses convened through The Climate Group and a partnership with CDP.

A copy of the blueprint is available here.