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Porsche U.S. Headquarters To Utilize Hot Georgian Sun To Power Operations

Atlanta, Georgia, commonly referred to as 'Hot-lanta' during summer months, is widely known as the home of Coca-Cola, CNN, and UPS, and one of the busiest airports in the world. However, a much more important resident of this Georgian city to automotive nuts is Porsche Cars North American, Inc. (PCNA).
Porsche EV 6 photos
Photo: Porsche
Porsche U.S.Porsche TaycanPorsche TaycanPorsche TaycanPorsche Taycan
In 2015, the German luxury sports car brand opened a new $100 million (98 million euros) headquarters for its North American operations on the outskirts of the city near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. At the time, it was the largest investment the company had made outside of Germany. The facility is an industry first, combining a driver development track, classic car gallery, restoration center, human performance center, driving simulator lab, and a fine dining restaurant.

Fittingly located on One Porsche Drive and called the Porsche Experience Center (PEC), Porsche's North American headquarters has something for everyone and draws almost 50,000 visitors annually. The track-based PEC is where visitors can test drive the latest Porsche models with a personal coach in a Porsche-themed environment.

As the development of their automobiles evolves, so too does the development of Porsche operations. The company announced yesterday (August 15) that it had reached a deal with the largest non-utility solar provider in Georgia to harness the power of the sun to meet the sprawling campus' energy needs.

Cherry Street Energy, LLC will build and operate a solar microgrid at One Porsche Drive that includes the PCNA headquarters and the PEC. The microgrid will be a solar driven, on-site power source that also will connect to the area's wider electrical grid.

Porsche U\.S\.
Photo: Porsche
The grid will enable the facility to charge the visitor fleet of all-electric Porsche Taycans to be charged on-site using 100% renewable energy. A $50 million (49.2 million euros) development that includes a second track is also underway at One Porsche Drive, due for completion next year.

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.”

Cherry Street Energy estimates the solar array at PCNA will generate 2,050 mega-watt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually, enough to power 191 average-sized homes for a year. That amount of renewable generated power represents a 3.2 million pound (196 million kgs) reduction in CO2 emissions per year, equivalent to driving an average passenger car 3.6 million miles in a year.

Solar panels will be installed on new and existing buildings, in the staging areas of the tracks, and on a new 950-foot (290 meters) covered walkway that connects the parking garage to the headquarters building.

Porsche Taycan
Photo: Porsche
Expected to be completed next year, the project will start in September and kick off a 25-year agreement between PCNA and Cherry Street Energy, where the energy company will own and operate the microgrid and sell the energy 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.

The announcement by PCNA comes roughly one week after the Ford Motor Company announced a similar plan to use solar energy to power 100% of its Michigan operations. The deal with DTE Energy calls for the creation of a solar energy platform to create 650 megawatts of renewable energy for Ford's consumption by 2025.
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