Dive Brief:
- Mars has entered a deal with Sumitomo Corp. of America and BNB Renewable Energy to buy all of the energy from a 200MW wind farm in Texas.
- The 118 turbine operation will help Mars, the maker of candy brands such as M&Ms and Twix, reach its goal of using only renewable energy sources to power operations by 2040.
- The wind farm, dubbed Mesquite Creek Wind, is expected to generate enough electricity to run all of Mars' properties in the U.S., including its 37 factories. Work on the facility won't be complete until 2015.
Dive Insight:
We have to hand it to Mars. If successful, powering all of its U.S. operations by renewable energy will offset Mars' global carbon footprint by 24%. This is an interesting deal that is good for the planet and, almost certainly, good for the company's brand reputation.