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

    Dole Fresh Vegetables using Wind Energy to help power Salad plant in California

    Nov. 17, 2022
    The GE 2.8-MW wind turbines will supply power to its salad processing plant in Soledad, while excess energy will be directly supplied to Pacific Gas & Electric grid.
    Image credit Dole Fresh Vegetables
    Two wind turbines generating power for the Dole plant in Soledad.
    Two wind turbines generating power for the Dole plant in Soledad.

    Dole Fresh Vegetables, a division of Dole, has activated two General Electric 2.8-Megawatt wind turbines, which will supply power to its salad processing plant in Soledad, California.

    Excess energy above the company’s needs will be directly supplied to Pacific Gas & Electric grid.

    The project is expected to directly reduce 14,921 tons of CO2 annually, generating significant environmental benefits.

    “Representing an important milestone in our sustainability journey, these turbines will have a substantial impact on our operations’ carbon footprint,” stated Timothy Escamilla, President of Dole Fresh Vegetables. “They are projected to produce over 19 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity per year, which will result in a 70% offset to our overall energy consumption at this site.”

    This wind project is in line with the firm’s The Dole Way framework, which aims to improve opportunities for communities by being a pioneer of change. Dole will also contribute to the stability of the local electric grid.

    The turbines were installed by Foundation Windpower, which develops and operates utility-scale wind projects.