McDonald’s, Lightsource bp ink PPA for 145 MW of solar in Louisiana

US fast-food chain McDonald’s Corp (NYSE:MCD) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) that will enable the construction of a 145-MW AC/180 MW DC solar park in Louisiana by Lightsource bp.

The UK-based solar developer half owned by BP Plc (LON:BP) said on Thursday it will finance, build, own and operate the Prairie Ronde photovoltaic (PV) farm, while McDonald’s will buy its entire output. With the contracted electricity, the fast-food giant will be able to supply around 630 of its restaurants a year with renewables.

Subscribe for Renewables Now's Corporate PPA Newsletter here for free!

The over USD-170-million (EUR 158.6m) PV park will be installed about 25 miles north of Lafayette, in St Landry Parish, with its construction slated to begin early this year. Commercial operations are due to be achieved in late 2024.

Once up and running, Prairie Ronde is expected to generate around 327,000 MWh of electricity annually, or enough to meet the demand of 30,700 local homes.

"This deal marks McDonald’s second solar project in Louisiana in partnership with Lightsource bp, bringing our statewide total of solar assets to 525 MW representing a cumulative half billion-dollar private investment,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of Lightsource bp Americas.

McDonald’s targets a 36% reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions related to its restaurants and offices by 2030 from a 2015 baseline.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.933)