Rivian’s 2.8 MW wind turbine at its Normal, Illinois, plant is officially online and, along with solar, is charging every new EV with clean energy.
Rivian announced it would install the wind turbine in June 2022, and Charlottesville, Virginia-based Apex Clean Energy began construction of the turbine in May.
Now it’s up and running and capable of generating nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year – enough to power 890 average US homes.
The EV maker estimates that the turbine will avoid around 177,000 tons of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of taking roughly 34,000 ICE vehicles off the road for a year – over its 25-year lifetime.
The wind turbine joins a 783-kilowatt solar canopy Rivian installed at the plant last year. The solar canopy and wind turbine combined means that every EV that rolls off the line at the Normal plant will now get its first charge with 100% clean energy.
Rivian says in its announcement online that “giving every vehicle its first charge with on-site renewable energy is a milestone on the path to providing access to 100% renewable energy for every mile.”
Completion of the on-site wind turbine is the latest step in Rivian’s plan to reach net zero by 2040.
Read more: Check out the arrival of Rivian’s on-site wind turbine
Photo: Rivian
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