Cummins announced the installation of its solar array at Rocky Mount Engine Plant in North Carolina, United States.
The RMEP solar installation will support the company’s environmental sustainability strategy , PLANET 2050, by using low-carbon renewable power to reduce greenhouse gases.
Cummins, as part of the 2030 goals included in PLANET 2050, aims for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations by 50 percent.
The diesel and natural gas engine plant produces engines for more than 500 customers and is a major employer in Nash County with over 1,800 people employed at the location. The 3.62 MW solar farm, which sits on 14 acres, produces power directly sent to the plant, reducing its commercial energy needs.
The solar installation will produce around 5.6 million kWh of power annually and more than 136 million kWh over 25 years. Annually, the solar installation will sequester the carbon equivalent of 4,862 acres of forest, roughly the space occupied by the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
“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.
The largest solar array within the company is on top of the Beijing Foton Cummins Engine Company (BFCEC) in Beijing, China, one of the company’s busiest plants, while, RMEP remains Cummins’ largest solar array in the United States and the largest Cummins owned solar installation globally.
Cummins has completed 51 solar arrays installations at locations all around the world from Australia to North America. 35 of these projects have completed since 2019, with 21 installations in India, where Cummins to date has their largest renewable footprint.
Cummins said work is taking place on planning for an additional 44 new solar installations at Cummins sites, including 15 additional projects in the US and 9 locations in China. Additional arrays are planned at other Cummins facilities, including sites in Mexico, UK and Australia.