Target says it is taking a major step forward by committing to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The goal — which applies to all of Target’s domestic operations — will help power its stores, distribution centers, and offices more sustainably and responsibly.
Target says it will track its clean-energy progress closely, and is already working toward an initial checkpoint of sourcing 60% of its electricity through renewable sources by 2025.
The new commitment also builds on the company’s renewable energy goal made back in 2017. That goal included increasingly meeting a portion of its energy needs with solar and wind power, with the end-goal of going 100% renewables.
“At Target, we’ve been on a multi-year journey to operate our facilities more sustainably, and setting this ambitious goal is an important milestone,” says John Leisen, vice president, property management, Target. “We’re proud of the work we’ve already done with renewable energy in our stores, and we’ll continue to explore more opportunities and partnerships to realize this goal.”
To meet its goal, the company is investing in projects around the country that produce electricity through renewable resources, such as wind and solar power. Target’s latest renewable power purchase agreements will help enable the construction of Lone Tree Wind Project in Illinois with Leeward Renewable Energy, LLC, and Sand Fork Solar in Texas with ENGIE.
Together, these wind projects are estimated to generate approximately 556,000 MW-hours of renewable electricity—the equivalent of 280 Target stores annually throughout the United States.
Target is familiar with working with renewable energy partners to meet its sustainability goals. In 2016, the company kicked off its first wind-power partnership in Lubbock, Texas. And in 2017, it contracted for about 420,000 MW-hours of wind energy from the Solomon Forks Wind Project near Colby, Kansas, which is expected to come online in the summer of 2019.
It all adds up: Today, an estimated 22% of the electricity Target uses to power its business comes from renewable sources.
Additionally, Target recently is working on new upgrades at many of its facilities to make them more sustainable. This includes adding rooftop solar panels at 500 of its locations by 2020. It’s also adding electric vehicle charging stations at over 100 sites across more than 20 states. And the LED lights it has added across nearly all of its 1,800-plus stores are reducing energy usage by 10% annually.
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