eBay and McDonald’s have announced an agreement with Lightsource bp to purchase power from what will be Louisiana’s largest solar project. The 345-MW Ventress Solar project will help the companies meet their sustainability goals and advance their commitment to climate action while growing Lightsource’s footprint of solar assets across the Southeast. Once complete, the project will generate over 600,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy annually, equivalent to the average annual consumption of 59,000 US homes.
“At eBay, investing in clean energy remains a focus of our business as we aim to attain 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025,” Renee Morin, chief sustainability officer at eBay, said. “This project enables us to source the clean energy equivalent of our data centre. Our collaboration with Lightsource bp and McDonald’s uniquely propels our shared goal to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.”
Construction is expected to begin as early as the end of this year on the Ventress Solar farm, with commercial operation starting in mid-2023. Lightsource bp is developing the project and will be the long-term owner and operator.
“This agreement is a great example of the teamwork needed to achieve our mutual goals for a healthier, more sustainable and resilient planet and economy for generations to come,” Kevin Smith, CEO of the Americas for Lightsource bp, said. “Customer aggregation deals such as this allow businesses of varying sizes and energy needs to come together and spur meaningful development of clean and affordable energy sources in the US. This collaborative agreement by McDonald’s and eBay is a model we hope others will replicate.”
