Renewable energy shines at Toyota Alabama

Toyota takes one step closer to carbon neutral operations with the addition of a 30-megawatt solar energy system at its Alabama plant. Today, Toyota Alabama, Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. (TAI) and Huntsville Utilities, celebrated the completion of the $49 million solar project – made possible by a joint power purchase agreement (PPA).  

“Toyota is committed to clean and sustainable power. We know that the collective future for our community and our team members depends on clean mobility, clean air, clean water, and biodiversity,” said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama. “We are thankful for our partners on this project who have created a model of environmental stewardship in North Alabama.”

This project will generate about 70 percent of Toyota Alabama’s total energy usage and aligns with the automaker’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality at all of its North American facilities by 2035. In total, the array will generate approximately 62,000 megawatt hours of energy on an annual basis, reducing an estimated 22,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

“Clean solar energy is vital for powering the City of Huntsville as we continue to see a steady rise in energy demand,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “Our partnership with Toyota has been instrumental in advancing this initiative, and we are excited about upcoming solar projects that will further enhance our commitment to sustainability and a cleaner future for our community.”

The solar array, located in the North Huntsville Industrial Park, surrounds Toyota Alabama with 72,000 individual solar panels. The site spans 168-acres, which is equal to 127 football fields. The project started in June 2023 and was led by TAI’s Energy Infrastructure Solutions team. TAI owns the solar array and is responsible for long-term operations.

“Bringing projects like this to life aligns with TAI’s goal to create positive impacts in local communities, while also helping to create pathways to a sustainable future globally,” said Chris Simmons, TAI division head for green infrastructure. “TAI strives to be a model of responsible corporate environmental stewardship, and this partnership illustrates how we can work together to create a better future for us all.”

The PPA between TAI and Huntsville Utilities is the largest flexibility agreement of its kind, allowing the cost-to-serve municipal utility to purchase clean energy.

“Innovative approaches to clean energy generation are critical to Huntsville’s future growth,” said Wes Kelley, president and CEO of Huntsville Utilities. “Toyota’s forward-thinking approach to carbon neutrality has paved the way for additional public-private collaborations.”