In conjunction with Earth Day 2020, Uponor North America is pleased to announce that its Lakeville, Minnesota, distribution center now receives 100 percent of its electrical power from wind energy, and is the first major manufacturing customer to participate in Dakota Electric Association’s Wellspring Renewable Energy program.

Wellspring Renewable Energy subscribers pay a slight premium to purchase wind energy sold in 100 kilowatt-hour blocks. As a partner in the program since Jan. 1, Uponor will annually purchase approximately 2.2 million kilowatt-hours of wind-generated electricity, which is equivalent to powering 263 homes’ electricity use for one year.

“Wellspring provides a way for businesses to receive all their power from renewable sources without having to build infrastructure or get in the energy business,” said Dakota Electric Association President and CEO Greg Miller. “Uponor has demonstrated its environmental commitment in a tangible way, and we are happy to assist the company in achieving its environmental goals.”

Since 2017, Uponor has worked with local utilities to purchase renewable energy blocks, increasing its renewable energy consumption in North America to 36 percent of its total energy use. Globally, Uponor continues to work toward its commitment of achieving 100 percent renewable resources to power its facilities by 2025.

“Globally, Uponor’s sustainability platform is centered on four key areas: conserve water, reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and empower labor,” said Bill Gray, president of Uponor North America. “The milestone reached at our Lakeville facility is a leap toward achieving not only our goals for improving energy efficiency in North America, but also on a global scale.”