Renewal by Andersen’s manufacturing facility in Cottage Grove, Minn., sources all of its electricity from community solar gardens
Renewal by Andersen LLC today announced that its sustainability journey has recently reached a historic milestone as Xcel Energy, a Minnesota utility, confirmed that the Renewal by Andersen plant in Cottage Grove is now subscribed to 100 percent solar energy for its operations.
Andersen Corporation, parent company to Renewal by Andersen, signed subscription agreements in 2016 to join Xcel Energy’s Minnesota Solar*Rewards Community, which entitles the company to receive a credit each month on its utility bill. The credit amount is determined based on the amount of power a solar garden produces and the financial terms established through an agreement with the garden developer. The production amount is then allocated to customers based on their solar subscription size.
The Renewal by Andersen Cottage Grove plant currently subscribes to 26 solar gardens that, through August 2018, had produced 6.5 megawatts of electricity for Andersen ― about 103 percent of Cottage Grove’s electrical usage. This reflects about $49,000 of net cost savings for the company since January 2018.
“Given Andersen’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, and in the face of mounting concerns about climate change, the move to clean power is a good one ― both for us as a company, and for the planet,” said Renewal by Andersen President Paul Delahunt. “Community subscriptions and joint agreements mean that it isn’t just the giant companies like Google or Facebook who can play a role in the renewable energy movement ― small and mid-size companies can make a difference, too.”
Andersen’s Bayport manufacturing plant also participates in the Solar*Rewards Community program.
“We are actively seeking to expand our use of clean, renewable energy across our Minnesota operations,” said Eliza Clark, director of sustainability and community at Andersen. “We are also evaluating what policies and utility programs exist in other states that would support on-site or off-site renewable energy at our other Andersen locations.”
For more information about Renewal by Andersen, visit www.renewalbyandersen.com.
Posted: December 11, 2018
