Light source bp and McDonald’s Corp. have confirmed a power purchase agreement for the 145 MW AC / 180 MW DC Prairie Ronde Solar project located in St. Landry Parish, La.
The facility produces an average of approximately 327,000 MWh of renewable energy per year.
“Growing our partnership with Lightsource bp reinforces our commitment to building a more sustainable McDonald’s system at meaningful scale,” said Elaine Strunk, McDonald’s Head of Direct – Global Sustainability. “Prairie Ronde Solar advances our climate aspirations while adding a significant amount of new renewable generation to the grid.”
Lightsource bp will finance, build, own and operate the facility, located about 25 miles north of Lafayette. McDonald’s will buy all the solar energy produced by the project, which is equivalent to the renewable electricity of around 630 restaurants per year.
Construction of the project is expected to begin soon and commercial use will begin in late 2024.
“This agreement is McDonald’s second solar project in Louisiana in partnership with Lightsource bp, bringing our statewide solar capacity to 525 megawatts, representing a cumulative private investment of half a billion dollars,” said Kevin Smith, CEO, Lightsource bp, Americas. “McDonald’s is a prime example of a corporate buyer whose commitment to sustainability is driving massive investment in new clean energy infrastructure for America’s energy security and clean energy future.”
