Porsche Cars North America announced it will build a 1.2-MW solar project at its U.S. headquarters and testing grounds in Atlanta. The solar project will be built and operated by Cherry Street Energy.
The future solar power system at One Porsche Drive in Atlanta will include solar panels that will be installed over the next year on most new and existing buildings. This view of the expansion project from the west shows the state of construction as of August 2022, including the future second driver development track in the center. Photo credit: Brasfield & Gorrie via Multivista
At One Porsche Drive, energy from solar will provide a significant portion of the site’s annual electricity needs. It will also mean the all-electric Taycan sports cars that are part of the visitor fleet can be charged from the sun. The Experience Center, one of two in the United States and 10 in the world, is a track-based attraction where the public can drive the latest Porsche models with a personal coach. The solar power project will contribute to PCNA’s sustainability goals as the campus adds major new facilities.
One Porsche Drive is currently undergoing a $50 million development that includes building a second driver development track for the public, due to be operational in early 2023. New features of the development also include a Porsche Classic Factory Restoration facility, a parking deck and the already-opened Porsche Service Center South Atlanta. These developments are on 33 acres adjacent to the existing 27-acre headquarters and Porsche Experience Center, which first opened in 2015.
“Powering our North American home and our Taycan fleet through harnessing Georgia sunshine makes perfect sense, and is a great demonstration of our commitment to sustainability,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of PCNA. “This solar project contributes to the overall sustainability targets of Porsche AG. In 2030, Porsche aims to be CO2 net neutral across the entire value chain and life cycle of newly sold vehicles.”
Credit: Porsche
Cherry Street Energy estimates the array of solar panels on the headquarters campus will generate 2,050 MWh of electricity annually. Installation of the solar project will start in September and is expected to be completed in 2023, kicking off a 25-year operating agreement between PCNA and Cherry Street Energy. Panels will be mounted on new and existing buildings, the roofs of staging areas by the two tracks where customers start their drives, and on a new 950-ft covered walkway from the parking garage to the headquarters building.
Cherry Street Energy will own, operate and maintain the project, selling the power to PCNA.
“The Cherry Street Energy team welcomes the opportunity to partner with Porsche on this innovative infrastructure program, leading the transition to reliable, renewable electricity,” said Michael Chanin, founder and CEO of Cherry Street Energy.
PCNA has made sustainability measures a priority for the campus expansion since the early stages on the project. In addition to the solar install, the campus will use concrete specially formulated to lower its embodied carbon content, benefit from extensive water re-use and recycling, utilize native non-irrigated landscape solutions, green walls and walking trails to increase bio-diversity, and incorporate extensive new electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The new campus expansion is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification recognizing the high standards of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which was previously awarded to the existing One Porsche Drive campus.
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