Rivian will subscribe to community solar and purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs).
U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian announced it has entered a deal with Pivot Energy to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) as well as subscribe to a portion of a community solar project.
The agreement includes a subscription to 10 MW of off-site community solar to support Rivian’s Illinois manufacturing capacity. Rivian will also purchase RECs generated from 50 MW of operational solar assets.
The REC impact agreement is designed to support the development of projects where emissions reductions are needed the most. The REC-tied projects are designed to be installed in locations with few solar resources.
“According to the EPA, the region of the electric grid where the solar projects will be located is 67% dirtier than the U.S. grid as a whole, meaning that the region emits two-thirds more greenhouse gases from fossil fuels than other areas,” said Pivot Energy.
The new-build REC projects are expected to generated 79,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, equivalent to powering nearly 11,000 homes annually.
The two companies will invest $5,000 per MW built in local community organizations. The donations tied to each MW constructed will go to support local community-based organizations working to reduce energy burden for low-income families, developing workforce development pathways into the solar industry for local residents and groups working at the intersection of agriculture and energy production.
“Our partnership with Pivot shows how we go one step further by investing in projects that not only deliver additional clean energy to the grid, but also drive positive benefits for communities, conservation and the climate,” said Andrew Peterman, director of advanced energy solutions, Rivian.
Rivian’s decarbonization strategy includes plans to support 2 GW of renewable energy each year to support emissions-free EV charging. This is enough to power 7 billion miles of renewable driving with its R1 truck each year.
Rivian said its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, aims to operate with greater than 90% carbon free energy on an hourly basis and will run on 100% renewable energy annually by 2030.
