GM touts energy storage and new solar arrays as it commits to 100% renewables by 2050

September 20, 2016
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email

Used Chevrolet Volt batteries (above) help keep the lights on at GM’s Milford Proving Ground in Michigan. Credit: GM
US automotive manufacturer General Motors (GM) has said its expertise in electric vehicle batteries will help it to power 100% of its global operations with renewable energy by 2050, meeting annual demand of upwards of 9TW/h.

GM said its “pursuit of electrified vehicles and efficient manufacturing”, combined with its expertise in electric vehicle batteries, will see it meet its 2050 target. “Energy storage can ultimately address the intermittency or reliability of wind and solar energy,” it said in a statement.

GM is using repurposed Chevrolet Volt batteries, originally used in Chevrolet’s Volt extended-range electric cars, for energy storage from solar and wind generation at its vehicle testing facility in Milford, in Michigan. The Volt batteries supply power to its Milford data centre; excess energy is returned to the grid supplying the rest of the Milford site.

A similar scheme is in place in Japan, where Japanese trading company Sumitomo has a joint venture with Nissan Motors to reuse electric vehicle batteries.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The company said solar power will continue as the major part of its international energy generation. GM is in the process of adding 30MW of solar arrays in China, with 10MW of rooftop solar to be installed at its Jinqiao Cadillac assembly plant in Shanghai, and 20MW of solar carports, covering 81,000 paring spaces, at its distribution centre in Wuhan.

GM’s 11.8MW rooftop solar installation in Zaragoza, Spain, is one of the largest in the world, after Italian renewable energy firm Enel Green Power 25MW array in Naples, Italy, and Indian conglomerate Tata’s 12MW project in the Punjab, in India.

GM reckons it saves US$5 million per year, and has saved US$80 million to date, from using renewable energy. The company said costs to install and produce renewable energy will decrease further, resulting in more “bottom-line returns”.

GM chairman and chief executive Mary Barra said: “Establishing a 100% renewable energy goal helps us better serve society by reducing environmental impact. This pursuit of renewable energy benefits our customers and communities through cleaner air while strengthening our business through lower and more stable energy costs.”

GM has also joined RE100, a collaboration of 69 businesses committed to run on 100% renewable electricity.

Read Next

October 16, 2025
Fluence has announced a solar-plus-storage project in Arizona, while Greenflash Infrastructure adds to its Texas BESS portfolio.
October 14, 2025
According to a new report from the US Energy Storage Coalition (ESC), PJM faces an urgent near-term requirement for affordable capacity to accommodate large loads expected through 2032.
October 14, 2025
IPP Eolian has closed a US$463 million financing package to support the continued construction of Padua 2 and Padua 3, two battery energy storage systems (BESS) totalling 350MW/1.7GWh in Bexar County, Texas.
October 10, 2025
Honeywell, LS Electric, esVolta, Sitetracker, PairedPower, PHNXX, and Energy Toolbase are collaborating on new initiatives to advance energy storage installations across the US.
October 9, 2025
H.I.G. Capital-backed energy platform, Greenflash Infrastructure, has closed a hybrid tax capital and debt financing for Project Soho, a 400MW/800MWh standalone battery storage project in Brazoria County, Texas.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter