National Grid Renewables, Hershey Company announce 140 MW power purchase agreement alongside new solar/storage project

At the groundbreaking of the latest National Grid Renewables project in Falls County, Texas, the Copperhead Solar & Storage Project, the company last week announced a 140 MW power purchase agreement (PPA) had been reached with The Hershey Company.

This will be the second solar PPA linking the pair and will benefit significantly from Copperhead. The new facility will be capable of producing 150 MW of solar and host a 100 MW hour storage project. With construction now underway, that project is estimated to produce around $25 million in direct economic impact, spread across 25 years of operation.

“Projects like Copperhead promote sustainability and economic vitality at both global and local levels,” Blake Nixon, president for National Grid Renewables, said. “Communities like those in the Falls County, Texas area can anticipate economic benefits for years to come as a result of welcoming renewable energy projects. With Copperhead, our commitment to the state of Texas and the ERCOT market remains strong, and we look forward to bringing this project to commercial operation to benefit local and statewide residents.”

According to its latest environmental, social, and governance report, Hershey reported a recent 48 percent reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions when compared to a 2018 baseline and an 18 percent reduction in Scope 3 emissions. While the company has not reduced its own emissions, it has instead invested in CO2 emissions offsets, such as those provided by Copperhead. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, Copperhead would allow offsets of approximately 25,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.