PepsiCo introduces innovative clean electricity program: pep+ REnew

Burning fossil fuels to make electricity and heat is the single largest cause of greenhouse gasses — accounting for about 25% of the world’s emissions. And making the change to renewable electricity sources like solar or wind power isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Now PepsiCo is launching an educational program to simplify the transition for many businesses.

Through a first-of-its-kind partnership for the food and beverage industry, PepsiCo has created pep+ REnew with Schneider Electric — an independent advisor on renewable energy purchasing. The goal: helping suppliers adopt renewable electricity in order to reduce their carbon footprints. This is also another step to aid PepsiCo’s progress in achieving 100% renewable electricity in all operations by 2040 as part of the company’s pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) transformation.

“The creation of pep+ REnew directly supports our ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions across our value chain by 2040 — one decade earlier than called for in the Paris Agreement,” says Jim Andrew, PepsiCo Chief Sustainability Officer. “Net zero cannot happen without our value chain partners taking bold climate action.”

PepsiCo partners who want to take part can register for free at the pep+ REnew site, schedule a call with Schneider Electric to discuss their electricity profile, and access online education resources. Once participants complete the curriculum of curated webinars, they have the opportunity to work with the Schneider Electric team to explore their procurement options.

Using the resources from the program, participants can better understand the landscape of renewable electricity purchasing options. One of the most impactful opportunities through pep+ REnew is guidance on joining an aggregate power purchase agreement (PPA). This buying tool allows multiple partners to jointly invest in the development of renewable electricity projects such as wind or solar farms, which adds more sustainable energy to the power grid.

Connecting PepsiCo’s suppliers to these resources has global benefits. “We are pleased to offer this educational resource to our value chain partners to ensure they are able to efficiently incorporate renewable electricity into their operations,” says Melani Wilson Smith, PepsiCo Global Chief Procurement Officer. “Providing access to solutions is a critical step as we work towards a net zero economy and a more sustainable future for all.”