Charting a path to 100% renewable power
Turkey Hill Dairy, a leading manufacturer and distributor of branded ice cream and refrigerated drinks, and Brookfield Renewable, one of the world’s leading owners and operators of renewable facilities, are much more than like-minded neighbors in the Lancaster, Pa. region. Out of their mutual commitment to environmental sustainability, they’ve become partners, charting a path to obtain 100 percent of Turkey Hill’s power from renewable resources, including with supplies from Brookfield Renewable’s own local hydropower facility.
Based in southeast Pennsylvania in Conestoga, Turkey Hill is known for its great-tasting, high-quality products, boasting dozens of creative and delicious flavors. Out of its on-going dedication to protecting the environment, Turkey Hill set a goal to obtain all its electricity from renewable power and shift away completely from fossil fuel-fired generators that emit carbon dioxide, a global-warming pollutant that contributes to climate change.
Brookfield Renewable is a leading owner, operator and developer of renewable power globally, with hydroelectric, wind, solar and storage facilities in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, totaling about 19,000 megawatts of installed capacity. Brookfield Renewable also has facilities in Pennsylvania, including the Safe Harbor hydroelectric plant located in the region.
It was out of the companies’ shared dedication to environmental stewardship that Brookfield Renewable collaborated with Turkey Hill to set a path to reducing, and ultimately eliminating, Turkey Hill’s reliance on carbon-emitting power sources. The partnership was born over the course of the companies’ active support in several local philanthropic programs.
Turkey Hill’s journey to sustainability had been well under way prior to the partnership. In 2011, they teamed up with Energy Power Investment, LLC and Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority to install the first commercial-scale wind energy project in South Central Pennsylvania. The two wind turbines are situated near Turkey Hill Dairy’s facility.
To achieve its ultimate goal to obtain 100 percent of its power from carbon-free sources, Turkey Hill purchased local supplies of renewable power from Brookfield Renewable’s Safe Harbor hydroelectric plant located just a few miles downstream on the Susquehanna River. Known as the “original renewable resource,” hydroelectric facilities are powered exclusively by the movement of water, serving as a reliable, carbon-free source of electricity.
The purchase was made as part of a formal contract, known as a power purchase agreement, or PPA. Under the contract, the supplier, Brookfield Renewable, agrees to sell power to Turkey Hill, the consumer, via a set price. In an enormous accomplishment, the PPA allowed Turkey Hill to meet all its power needs from supplies of local renewable generation.
Brookfield Renewable and Turkey Hill continue to collaborate on local initiatives and consider the agreement an important step in working together to effect positive change throughout the Lancaster region and beyond. Both companies are active supporters of the Lancaster County Conservancy, Lancaster Water Week, Susquehanna Heritage and the Clean Water Partners.