Cummins has completed the installation of its on-site solar power array at Rocky Mount Engine Plant in North Carolina, which contributes to its PLANET 2050 environmental sustainability strategy.
The 3.62 MW solar farm, spread across 14 acres of land, will produce approximately 5.6 million kWh of power annually and more than 136 million kWh over 25 years. It will sequester the carbon equivalent of 4,862 acres of forest annually.
“We have ambitious sustainability goals in PLANET 2050 - aligned with the Paris climate accords and a target to be carbon-neutral by 2050 - and are fully committed to achieving them,” said Jennifer Rumsey, President and CEO, Cummins. “To get there, our efforts must touch our products, customers, facilities, employees and supply chain. This project is a reflection of that, and our goal of reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations by half by 2030. I was delighted to participate in the ribbon cutting of the solar farm this spring, and proud to see it now in operation and making an impact.”
The project uses ground-mounted, single-axis solar tracking panels, which means the panels arc and track the sun as it rises and sets, boosting system efficiency. The installation was deployed to reduce purchased electrical consumption. Electricity generated at the installation will be directly supplied to the Rocky Mount Engine Plant.
This diesel and natural gas engine plant manufactures engines for over 500 customers and is a major employer in Nash County.
The solar array at RMEP is Cummins’ largest solar array installation in the U.S. and the largest owned by the company globally.
