DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, announced it will participate in a portfolio of solar projects that will help power operations at its Maryville, Tennessee, facility. Through an innovative collaboration with local utility City of Maryville Electric Department, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Silicon Ranch Corp., DENSO will receive a portion of the renewable energy generated by four solar power plants, starting with one located on DENSO’s Maryville campus.
DENSO says this work helps advance its “Two Great Causes: Green—achieving carbon neutrality by 2035—and Peace of Mind—creating a safe and seamless world for all.” It also supports the company’s involvement in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants program. Both reinforce and accelerate DENSO’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations and energy use.
“DENSO is developing mobility technologies to support a better planet, while also making sustainability gains across our global footprint,” said Denise Carlson, vice president of DENSO’s North America Production Innovation Center and sustainability lead in the region. “This partnership marks an important milestone along this journey and furthers us on our path to a safer, greener future.”
The City of Maryville has supported DENSO’s sustainability objectives. During its monthly meeting on July 5, the Maryville City Council approved three contracts between the City of Maryville Electric Department and independent power producer Silicon Ranch for a total of 10.5 megawatts (MWAC) of solar energy under TVA’s Generation Flexibility program, a portion of which will serve DENSO’s local operations. The program enables participating local power companies to generate up to 5% of their total energy load to meet the renewable energy goals of their customers, attract sustainability-focused businesses to their communities, and solve individual challenges for their distribution systems.
In addition to its role in the three solar projects under TVA’s Generation Flexibility program, DENSO will also participate in TVA’s Green Invest program through a fourth Silicon Ranch facility. The nationally recognized program offers business and industry a timely and cost-effective solution to aggressively meet their sustainability goals.
On behalf of City of Maryville Electric, TVA, and DENSO, Silicon Ranch will fund, construct, own, operate, and maintain each of the four solar power plants for the long-term, a disciplined and differentiated approach the company takes with every project it develops.
