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GM Commits To 100% Renewable Energy By 2050 (cleantechnica.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the better-late-than-never dept.

We've seen a number of entities announce plans to operate with 100% renewable energy over the years. Costa Rica, for example, has gone 76 straight days using 100% renewable electricity. General Motors is the latest company to release a roadmap to achieving 100% renewable energy. The catch? It won't be until 2050. CleanTechnica reports: American multinational General Motors, or GM, has committed to generating or sourcing 100% of the electricity for its operations across 59 countries from 100% renewable energy by 2050. GM made the announcement on Wednesday, revealing that it planned to generate or source all its electrical power needs for its 350 operations in 59 countries with 100% renewable energy such as wind, solar, and landfill gas, by 2050. In turn, the company has joined the 100% renewable energy campaign RE100, lending its considerable global business weight to an already important and successful campaign. "Establishing a 100% renewable energy goal helps us better serve society by reducing environmental impact," said Mary Barra, GM Chairman and CEO. "This pursuit of renewable energy benefits our customers and communities through cleaner air while strengthening our business through lower and more stable energy costs."

5 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. They are pledging to something in 30+ years by SensitiveMale · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This does a few things.

    1) It's zero risk. No one will remember this in 30+ years.
    2) It'll get them a lot press now because people will actually believe them.
    3) Eventually all energy will be renewables. That's how progress works.

    P.T. Barnum should have put out this press release.

    1. Re:They are pledging to something in 30+ years by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Worse, this has nothing to do with the vehicles that they sell - it's just using renewables to power their plants, which is a no-brainer because the cost of renewable energy is dropping year-over-year.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  2. Including its cars? by PvtVoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Doesn't mean much if they keep making gas-guzzling SUVs. Their current #1 selling vehicle is the Silverado pickup, #2 is the Equinox SUV, which, despite being billed as "fuel efficient", is still only rated for 21 MPG in city driving.

  3. Sell GM stock now by zapadnik · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If Google couldn't get solar work how are GM going to ? oh, I know, taxpayer subsidies - where wealth is transferred from the poor to the rich in the form of high-tech boondoggles.

  4. Re:green fantasies by prof_robinson · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Wind and solar are only less expensive because of subsidies - which is cheating. They are actually the most expensive forms of energy out there, not only in terms of kw output, but the overall footprint required. http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au... Solar, for example, is 30-40% more expensive without subsidies http://www.bloomberg.com/news/... As for my karma, how can I possibly prove to you what I have seen with my own eyes? This is not my first time down this road on slashdot. It's not so much that I'm "pro-nuke", but that I'm "anti-green". The reality is, I'm just "pro-better".