Texas wind farms to power state 7-Eleven locations

7-Eleven, Inc. signed a 96-month agreement this week with TXU Energy to purchase 100 percent wind energy for all its Texas stores located in competitive energy markets.

The agreement will impact 425 stores beginning June 1, 2018. It is projected to shrink 7-Eleven’s carbon footprint by 6.7 percent and provide substantial operating expense savings.

“This agreement is beneficial for 7-Eleven on several fronts,” Ben Tison, 7-Eleven senior vice president of development, said. “Wind energy is a renewable, more cost-effective resource that will lower the carbon footprint of these stores as well as operating costs. Our customers, particularly millennials and the younger Generation Z, care about sustainability and reducing environmental impacts, and they’re paying attention
to what companies are doing.”

Texas wind farms will provide all of the wind energy for the company’s Texas locations. With over 10,000 wind turbines, Texas has both the most installed and under-construction wind capacity of any state.

Last year, 7-Eleven outlined plans to reduce its environmental impact. As part of that plan, the company is aiming to reduce its energy footprint in stores and its support center in Irving, Texas by 20 percent by 2025. Projects including installation of LED lighting, energy management systems and high-efficiency HVAC units have already helped the company reduce its electricity use in stores by approximately 21 percent over the past seven years.