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Massachusetts — Ameresco, and Wells Fargo announced a collaboration to develop and install approximately 30 megawatts (MW) of new, onsite solar generation assets at corporate and retail locations in seven states.
The nearly 100 solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays are a combination of rooftop and ground mount systems at Wells Fargo retail and administrative locations in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Iowa, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas. Construction on the systems will begin in April and go into 2022.
Wells Fargo has been meeting 100% of its global electricity requirements with renewable energy since 2017, initially through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
The announcement is part of the firm’s efforts to transition to long term agreements that support the development of net-new sources of renewable energy in locations where its energy needs are the greatest. In addition to helping Wells Fargo meet its environmental goals, the strategy helps deliver community benefits like job creation, tax revenue, and grid resiliency in locations where its customers and employees live and work.
Wells Fargo commissioned this complex and innovative project, and Ameresco emerged the preferred collaborator due to its demonstrated ability to deliver a broad scope of services across multiple project types, locations and regulatory frameworks.
The approximately 30MW of onsite solar to be constructed under the agreement announced today range in size from a six-kilowatt rooftop array on a branch in Connecticut to a 6.5 MW carport and rooftop system at Wells Fargo’s Chandler AZ campus. Other larger projects include a 5.5 MW combination rooftop/ground-mount system to serve an administrative property in San Antonio, TX, and a nearly 2MW ground mount system adjacent to a Wells Fargo campus in Des Moines, IA, that will include more than 6 acres of pollinator gardens, adding to the overall sustainability impact of the project locally.
“Wells Fargo aims to meet its energy goals in a way that curbs climate change,” said Nate Hurst, head of Social Impact and Sustainability for Wells Fargo. “We believe you can protect the planet and grow the economy at the same time. By significantly expanding our onsite solar generation, we are delivering impact at the local level and helping to accelerating a just transition to a low-carbon future.”
Ameresco worked in partnership with renewable energy advisory firm, CustomerFirst Renewables, also a vendor of Wells Fargo, to plan and develop solar energy systems.
“We commend the initiative taken by Wells Fargo to lead by example in the various communities they serve across the country,” said Bob Georgeoff, vice president of Ameresco. “We are proud of the partnership with Wells Fargo to date and look forward to exploring future opportunities that will further their position as a corporate leader in the area of environmental sustainability.”
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