• Exclusive Content
  • Events
  • Endeavor Business Media Energy
    1. Energy Efficiency

    McDonald’s signs 15-year virtual power agreement with EDF Renewables North America

    Sept. 15, 2022
    EDF Renewables will supply electricity to McDonald’s outlets from its 255 MWac / 332 MWdc Apollo Solar project in Texas
    Photo via Twitter.
    McDonald's location in Weatherford, Texas.
    McDonald's location in Weatherford, Texas.

    Power producer EDF Renewables North America signed a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with McDonald’s, which will help the fast-food chain meet its sustainability goals.

    EDF Renewables North America will supply low-carbon electricity from its 255 MWac / 332 MWdc Apollo Solar project in Texas to McDonald’s beginning in June 2024. The project is expected to generate 619,000 MWh of low-carbon energy per year once it is complete. This will be sufficient for the electricity needs of more than 1,200 McDonald’s outlets in the U.S. This will be equivalent to avoiding more than 439,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

    “We applaud McDonald’s for taking action on climate change and are honored to partner with them to address their restaurant electricity carbon footprint,” said Matt McCluskey, Vice President Development, South Central Region for EDF Renewables. “Through the purchase of clean energy from Apollo Solar, McDonalds will be able to reduce GHG emissions in support of their sustainability goals while the project construction phase will provide the local community with a boost to the economy through job creation, local spending with vendors, and an expanded tax base.”

    McCluskey continued, “It’s been a great pleasure to work with a counterparty such as McDonald’s who is willing to provide the flexibility needed to bring the Apollo Solar Project to fruition during these uncertain times for the solar industry. EDF Renewables is committed to continuing its successful partnerships with corporate and industrial customers who have emerged as large buyers of renewable energy.” 

    “We are thrilled to add EDF Renewables and the Apollo Solar project to our U.S. renewable energy portfolio as part of our continued commitment to climate action,” said Elaine Strunk, Sr. Director Global Sustainability, McDonald’s. “Apollo Solar plays a significant role in our science-based emissions reduction target for 2030 and brings a considerable amount of new renewable generation to the grid. Together with EDF Renewables, this project furthers our shared goal of making a more sustainable planet for generations to come.” 

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.