Nestlé Hosts First Wind Turbines at Bottled Water Plant
As part of Nestlé Waters North America’s longterm renewable energy plan, wind energy will power 30 percent of the entire bottled water facility.
Nestlé is celebrating its first wind energy project in the world with the hosting of two wind turbines at its Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) bottling plant in Cabazon, Calif. The turbines will provide wind power for 30 percent of the facility where the company produces its Arrowhead and Nestlé Pure Life brand bottled waters.
“Hosting wind turbines at our bottling plants is a critical step for Nestlé Waters to support the increased use of renewable energy,” said Michael Washburn, Vice President of Sustainability for NWNA. “This latest effort in conjunction with our partnership with Foundation Windpower is consistent with our practices to reduce our environmental footprint.”
NWNA chose this location for its turbines, along the I-10 corridor in southern California, because of the high wind potential. The two 1.6 megawatt GE wind turbines in Cabazon will produce an average of 12,900,000 kilowatt hours annually, powering the equivalent of 1,100 U.S. homes. The project will also save 7,320 tons of CO2 emissions, offsetting the equivalent emissions from 20,687 oil barrels and saving the equivalent of 1,897 acres of trees.
“We’re pleased to partner with Nestlé Waters North America to help advance renewable energy efforts in Cabazon,” said Matt Wilson, chief executive officer of Foundation Windpower. “Nestlé Waters’ leadership in sustainability is an important example of how corporations can make a sizable difference in managing natural resources and creating job growth in the green sector.”
The installation of the wind turbines in Cabazon is part of NWNA’s long-term renewable energy plan. NWNA was the first beverage manufacturer in the country to build U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified plants. In 2004, the Cabazon plant earned a LEED Silver Rating. Today, the company has 10 LEED-certified facilities, covering 3.7 million square feet and diverting 22,000 tons of waste material from landfills.
In addition, NWNA produces 98 percent of its single-serve PET plastic bottles on-site at company bottling facilities, saving 6.6 million gallons of fuel per year through reduced transportation requirements.
To watch the installation of the two turbines, please visit NWNA’s YouTube Channel.
For more information about NWNA’s commitment to sustainability, please click here.