(Photo: The bullseye-shaped solar array on Target’s distribution center in Phoenix, Arizona. Credit: Christian McBeth / Target Corporation)
Target Corporation committed to sourcing 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030, the retailer said. The company expects this domestic operations goal to help them power stores, distribution centers, and offices more sustainably.
This new commitment builds on the climate goals Target made in 2017, which included reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2015 levels by 2025. Earlier this year the company updated their goals with plans to reduce absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2017 levels by 2030.
In order to get there, Target Corporation is ramping up energy savings efforts and increasing investments in renewable energy.
“For example, we’re installing LED lights in our buildings,” the company reported. Switching out old fluorescent light fixtures in stores saved millions of dollars over the past few years. “Our Texas wind power project offsets the electricity use of 60 area stores. And we’re adding solar rooftop panels at 500 locations by 2020.”
The retailer says they are working toward an initial checkpoint of obtaining 60% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025, and plans to track progress along the way. For the past several years, Target has been an Energy Star Partner of the Year.
“Our latest renewable power purchase agreements will help enable the construction of important sources like the Lone Tree Wind Project in Illinois with Leeward Renewable Energy, LLC, and Sand Fork Solar in Texas with Engie,” according to the Target’s announcement on Wednesday. “Together, they’re estimated to generate approximately 556,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity — the equivalent of 280 Target stores annually throughout the United States.”
Target Corporation estimates that 22% of the electricity the company uses to power its business currently comes from renewable sources.