Summary:

Bank of America has announced that they are partnered with Duke Energy to power its Charlotte headquarters with solar energy. This will be through a power purchase agreement.

Main Article:

Bank of America to Power its North Carolina Headquarters with Solar Energy

Bank of America recently announced it is partnering with Duke Energy to power its headquarters and other Charlotte operations with solar energy.

Through a renewable energy sleeved-power purchase agreement (PPA), the company is participating in Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program. The bank is the first company and financial institution to sign a 10-year agreement for electricity and Green-e certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) through this program.

The purchase of a 25 MW solar power project’s electricity output and RECs will cover 45% of Bank of America’s electricity load in the state. By participating in Duke Energy’s GSA program, Bank of America is on the path to becoming carbon neutral and utilizing 100% renewable energy across its global operations.

This project will be constructed in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The solar power project will include the installation of a pollinator habitat surrounding 70,000 solar panels, covering approximately 180 acres, and is expected to be online in 2022.

Silver Pine Energy, a joint venture between Silver Creek Energy and North Carolina developer Pine Gate Renewables, will oversee the development of the project and will support the engineering, procurement, and construction services.

Duke Energy’s GSA program has 600 MW of solar power capacity for large Duke Energy customers in North Carolina. Cities — like the city of Charlotte — are also eligible to participate.

The Green Source Advantage program is an outgrowth of 2017’s landmark solar energy legislation in North Carolina. Other programs such as solar energy rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation.

Earlier this year, the bank announced that it met its carbon neutrality goal a year ahead of schedule, pending third-party verification. The goal was accomplished by reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions from its facilities, purchasing 100% renewable energy and buying carbon offsets for its remaining unavoidable emissions.

The reduction in emissions resulted primarily from reductions in energy use across Bank of America’s facilities, according to a Bank of America spokesperson. Those were achieved by consolidating space and implementing energy efficiency projects, including lighting and HVAC equipment and controls upgrades, data center equipment and controls upgrades, and decommissioning unneeded equipment.

If you’re interested in going solar, see how much you can save by using the HahaSmart price checker tool and you can design your own solar-powered system using the design DIY tool.