McDonald's Corp. and eBay Inc. source Lightsource bp power from Louisiana's largest solar project, 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge in Pointe Coupee Parish. Once completed, the 345 MW Ventress solar project will generate over 600,000 MWh of energy annually.
The construction of the more than 300 million US dollar privately financed solar park is scheduled to begin at the Ventress solar park at the end of 2021, and commercial operation will begin in mid-2023. Lightsource bp is developing the project and will be the owner and operator in the long term.
“As one of the largest restaurant companies in the world, McDonald's is uniquely positioned to drive significant action against climate change,” said Emma Cox, global leader in renewable energy at McDonald's. “Our renewable energy contract with Lightsource bp will not only create Louisiana's largest solar project and serve as the latest milestone on the road to our science-based emissions reduction target for 2030, but also demonstrate our belief that meaningful solutions to building a sustainable future require partnership and cooperation. “
“At eBay, investing in clean energy remains a focus of our business as we aim to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2025,” said Renee Morin, eBay's chief sustainability officer. “This project enables us to source the clean energy equivalent of our data center. Our collaboration with Lightsource bp and McDonald's drives our common goal of accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy in a unique way. “