Best Buy’s latest solar power involvement is the largest renewable energy project the company has been involved with and will offset the carbon impact of around 30% of its US stores.
The Prospero 2 Best Buy Solar field began operation in August and is located in Andrews County, Texas, covering more than 2,5000 acres. Best Buy, which has been active in solar power and renewable energy uses, says this project alone will offset the carbon impact of 300 of its stores. The Prospero 2 Best Buy Solar field was developed in partnership with U.S. Bank and Longroad Energy.
Best Buy also has solar energy projects in Fresno County, California; Marin, South Carolina; and another Texas facility in Bastrop County.
The Big Star Solar Project in Texas is part of an agreement between energy provider Constellation and Best Buy, PepsiCo, McCormick & Company and two Viacom CBS TV affiliates. That 10-year agreement was made in August and is expected to be in operation by the second quarter of 2022.
Renewable energy is seeing big growth in the US and solar power uses grew at the fast rate of all sources during the first half of 2021, the US Energy Information Administration recently said in its Monthly Energy Review. A Department of Energy study also found that solar could supply half the US’s energy needs by 2050.
Overall, Best Buy has been active in the business community in achieving sustainability.
It is part of a group of businesses worth $1.4 trillion seeking government action, and in 2020 joined the Climate Pledge, which now includes more than 200 companies from around the world.
Best Buy says it has reduced carbon emissions by 61% since 2009. The company also has helped recycle more than 2 billion pounds of electronic waste and appliances since it launched its recycling program that year.