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At the groundbreaking of the company’s new “ultra-green” headquarters in Princeton, the company demonstrates its ambitious goal of being more sustainable through renewable energy, distributed generation and energy storage.
The core of NRG’s sustainability goals is:
- Reduce CO2 emissions 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 below a 2014 baseline;
- Generate power in a sustainable, lower carbon manner;
- Substantially grow business and shareholder value.
“Having already reduced our CO2 emissions by 40% since 2005, we see a clear path to further dramatic long-term reduction as we vigorously pursue our multi-faceted, long term sustainable growth strategy,” said David Crane, NRG’s CEO. “As the U.S. transitions to a renewables-driven, increasingly distributed, grid resilient energy system, we expect to be a leader both in clean energy and in converting the CO2 emissions of our conventional generation from a liability to a profitable by-product.”
To accomplish its objectives, NRG intends to continue its leadership role in the development, ownership and operations of renewable generation, cost-effective carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), energy storage and low carbon distributed energy resources. New natural gas generation will also play a role in supporting renewable integration while ensuring reliability and fuel resource diversity. A key principle of its 2030 goals is NRG’s commitment to achieving these reductions while significantly growing the business.
“Our portfolio allows us to pursue everything from fuel conversions and carbon capture and sequestration to renewables and distributed technologies,” said Mauricio Gutierrez, NRG’s COO. “We have already started to demonstrate our lower carbon strategies with our asset revitalization program and with NRG Carbon 360, our carbon capture business. With the construction of our new headquarters, we will showcase the distributed energy solutions available to businesses committed to sustainability across America.”
Distributed energy resources will play an increasingly important role in NRG’s growth. These include distributed solar, efficient co-generation and electric vehicle networks, along with smart systems to manage them all intelligently and efficiently. NRG’s new headquarters will showcase the ability of businesses to foster sustainability in their facilities, while reducing their dependence on grid power.
NEW INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE HEADQUARTERS
NRG’s three-floor, 130,000 square foot headquarters integrates a host of renewable energy technologies and efficiency measures. It was designed in collaboration with Boston Properties, which shares NRG’s goal to bring a new level of integrated sustainability. Meanwhile, the location will incorporate, among other technologies:
- Two on-site solar fields, with roughly 765 kW of capacity;
- High-efficiency LED lighting combined with daylight harvesting;
- 12,000 gallons of rainwater harvesting capacity to reduce city water use by 80%;
- Over 30 electric vehicle charging stations with the infrastructure for EV-to-grid (eV2g) “back-feed” capability;
- Off-grid capabilities plus dual-fuel generators, heat and power (CHP) systems;
- Grid power will be 100% renewable energy through one of NRG’s green retail subsidiaries.
