Solar and energy services provider SunPower is moving quickly to decarbonize their own supply chain. Their growing fleet of battery-electric vehicles will rely heavily on the VNR Electric.
Solar and energy services provider SunPower is moving quickly to decarbonize their own supply chain. Their growing fleet of battery-electric vehicles will rely heavily on the VNR Electric.
As one of the nation’s longest-standing and largest solar energy companies, SunPower has delivered solar systems to more than 480,000 U.S. residential customers since its inception in 1985. In 2021 alone, the company deployed 528 megawatts in new solar systems, contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions by 14 million metric tons.
The Richmond, California-based company offers the only solar and storage solution designed and warranted by a single provider, giving customers control over electricity consumption and resiliency during power outages while providing electricity cost savings. As a result of their unique offering, growing demand for the photovoltaic systems has put increased pressure on their logistics.
“It’s not enough to deliver a sustainable product to our customers. A true commitment means considering the impact of every part of our business,” says Peter Faricy, SunPower CEO, in the company’s 2021 ESG Report. “By reducing the carbon footprint of our supply chain, we can make the environmental benefits of solar even greater.”
"
It’s not enough to deliver a sustainable product to our customers. A true commitment means considering the impact of every part of our business." PETER FARICY, SUNPOWER CEO
In keeping with their corporate mission to change the way our world is powered, last year SunPower announced a commitment to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for their U.S. downstream freight—from warehouse shipment to home delivery—by 2030. The initiative is expected to prevent more than 50 million pounds of carbon pollution, further building on the company’s heritage of sustainability.
“Our customers are very concerned about global emissions,” says Derek Kuzak, Executive Vice President of Operations at SunPower. “They purchase our products because they want to reduce their carbon footprint but may not be considering the entire journey of how the solar gets put on their roof. This collaboration demonstrates that we’re serious about clean energy being clean by putting our money where our mouth is.”
A team effort
The decision to use VNR Electrics in their supply chain came after initial discussions between SunPower, Volvo Trucks, global transport and logistics company Kuehne+Nagel, and fleet solutions provider Revolv. SunPower is initially introducing Volvo’s VNR Electrics at its distribution facility in Rialto, California with assistance from Revolv.
“We’re very fortunate to be working with SunPower,” reports Scott Davidson, Revolv CEO. “They have deeply held beliefs about their mission. They came to the table with a very open mindset and shared their broader objectives. They weren’t wed to specific technology solutions; they were just focused on specific outcomes (decarbonization) and that made it easy to create better solutions.”
As a resource for fleets moving into electrification, Revolv considers its product to be electric miles and uptime performance. So, when Davidson and his team recommended Volvos as part of a comprehensive solution, it made sense to the SunPower team.
“I think Volvo in particular is a great partner for us given our alignment on sustainability,” says SunPower’s Kuzak. “Great brand, very well respected. And then the product itself is a terrific product. It’s been tested in real-world conditions, which is something we couldn’t find with other offerings.”The Class 7 and 8, zero-tailpipe emission VNR Electrics feature a range of up to 250 miles on a single charge. This allows the vehicles to serve most of SunPower’s regional operations centers and dealers in the Southern California Region.
"I think Volvo in particular is a great partner for us given our alignment on sustainability." DEREK KUZAK, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AT SUNPOWER
The Class 7 and 8, zero-tailpipe emission VNR Electrics feature a range of up to 250 miles on a single charge. This allows the vehicles to serve most of SunPower’s regional operations centers and dealers in the Southern California Region.
The VNR electric units provide SunPower with a range of up to 250 miles on a single charge, serving nearly all of their Southern California distribution centers and dealers.
The vehicles will be serviced from Volvo Truck’s first North American EV certified dealer, TEC Equipment. “This is a partnership that is important to Volvo and TEC. It is a real example of sustainability going full circle,” says Tracey Craik, TEC Regional Sales Director.
Initially, a fleet of six VNR Electrics will be dispatched from the Rialto facility by global transport and logistics company Kuehne+Nagel. SunPower estimates that the shift toward electric vehicles will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by two percent in the first year alone, and it anticipates saving more than $50,000 in fuel costs over the next 12 months.
“Logistics is responsible for approximately 7% of global emissions and Kuehne+Nagel understands our responsibility to counteract climate change,” said Bill Kascel, senior vice president, sustainability solutions at Kuehne+Nagel.
The initial fleet of VNR electric units will operate from SunPower’s Rialto, CA distribution facility
To support the battery-electric VNRs, SunPower and Revolv are also coordinating with Southern California Edison to install chargers at the Rialto facility. Onsite solar panels to generate renewable electricity are expected to be part of the long-term charging plan for the fleet.
The start of something big
“We truly believe that all power should be electrified because of the benefits of clean energy. We really push ourselves to put this into practice in all our operations,” says Kuzak. “You can power everything with the sun.”
SunPower’s plans to fully de-carbonize their supply chain by 2030 should mean a rapid electrification of their fleet across the country. As part of their net zero target, the company has plans to convert at least 90% of their U.S. fleet vehicles to hybrid or full electric powertrains by the end of this decade.
“We believe there’s nearly 100 million homes in the US that would benefit from solar. We have a rapidly growing business, and our distribution network is expanding to meet demand. I’m confident that the future of transportation is electrified,” says Kuzak. “Today we’re just scratching the surface.”
COMPANY PROFILE: SunPower Corporation Based in: Richmond, California Territories covered: Nationwide Company started: 1985 Number of employees: 3,660 globally Number of VNR electrics scheduled for Rialto facility phase: 6 Primary product offerings: Residential solar energy systems Total residential customers: 440,000+
Related Content
Driving Progress
Get the latest product information, Volvo Trucks news and updates delivered. Sign up below.
