PHILADELPHIA—Comcast has announced that it will purchase 250 megawatts (MW) of solar electricity from Constellation that will power approximately 12 percent of its U.S. operations and the vast majority of its Mid-Atlantic operations with clean, renewable energy.
The agreement will support construction of the Blue Sky Solar Project, currently being developed by Scout Clean Energy in Illinois that will create local jobs and bring additional clean electricity to the U.S. power grid.
“Sourcing clean, renewable energy is the top priority for meeting our goal to be carbon neutral by 2035,” said Peter Kiriacoulacos, executive vice president and chief procurement officer at Comcast. “This marks the first of many major green investments that are already underway or on the immediate horizon which demonstrate our commitment to sustainable, responsible business.”
Comcast has committed to being carbon neutral by 2035 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, or the direct and indirect emissions it owns and controls, across its global operations. With purchased electricity accounting for the majority of these emissions, sourcing renewable energy is critical to meeting this goal.
Highlights of the project include:
- Comcast will source 250 MW of carbon-free solar electricity from the 300 MW Blue Sky project – a majority share of the project’s total output. Blue Sky is one of the largest solar projects approved to date in the PJM power grid, which spans the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region and portions of the Midwest, and Comcast is currently the sole customer.
- The agreement will allow Comcast to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with its energy use by nearly 360,000 metric tons annually – equivalent to avoiding the emissions from more than 65,000 homes’ electricity use for a year.
- The project will create up to 400 construction jobs and 20 new local long-term jobs, and generate $36.3 million in tax revenue over the life of the project, including $25.4 million slated to go directly to local schools.
- Blue Sky is expected to reach commercial operation by December 2024. Comcast has signed a corresponding 15-year agreement with Constellation beginning in 2025 to receive energy and RECs from Blue Sky as part of its retail electric supply contract.
