Apollo Solar Project of EDF Renewables to Power 1200 Restaurants of McDonald’s

EDF Renewables North America has said that it has signed a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement with fast food chain McDonald’s. The 255 MWac / 332 MWdc Apollo Solar project will help McDonald’s meet its sustainability goals.  Apollo Solar is located in Texas and is expected to begin delivery of low carbon electricity in June 2024.

The EDF Renewables solar project was constructed in 2023-2024 with more than $30 million generated in new tax revenue over the operating life for taxing entities.  EDF Renewables said that Apollo Solar will produce clean energy while minimizing impacts to the environment.

Matt McCluskey, Vice President Development, South Central Region for EDF Renewables, said, “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.” He shared that EDF Renewables is committed to continuing its successful partnerships with corporate and industrial customers who have emerged as large buyers of renewable energy.

Elaine Strunk, Senior Director Global Sustainability, McDonald’s, stated, “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.”

Strunk opined that McDonald’s has a responsibility to foster positive impact in the local communities it serves, and Apollo Solar will help create meaningful economic opportunities for those living in the area.

EDF Renewables said that upon completion, the project is expected to generate 619,000 MWh of low-carbon energy annually that is enough to meet the consumption of over 1,200 McDonald’s restaurants in the USA. This is equivalent to avoiding over 439,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually which represents the greenhouse gas emissions from over 95,000 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year.

EDF Renewables has 24 GW of wind, solar, and storage projects developed so far and it also provides integrated energy solutions from grid-scale power to electric vehicle charging. Last month, the company operationalised Palen Solar site consisting four projects totaling 620 megawatts (MWdc) of solar PV plus 200 MWh of battery energy storage.