BOONE, Iowa—On Monday, June 5th, Fareway Stores, Inc. and Alliant Energy officially broke ground on a 1-megawatt solar field that will be constructed in the Boone Industrial Park adjacent to Fareway’s campus in Boone, Iowa.
Incorporating sustainable practices throughout their stores since the beginning, Fareway recently celebrated their 85-year anniversary of green initiatives. The company’s sustainable practices have included recycling, reusing, reclaiming and now solar.
“We are proud to extend our tradition of sustainable practices and look forward to advancing our initiatives in partnership with Alliant Energy,” said Fareway President Garrett S. Piklapp. “From our store operations to charitable giving, we strive to be good stewards of our resources. This solar field is a conscious decision to employ technology that furthers our reach in energy efficiency, not only for the environment but to also best serve our customers.”
The solar field will span six acres and include around 2,000 solar panels. It is one of Alliant Energy’s first customer-hosted solar projects to break ground in Iowa. The company has similar projects already under construction in Marshalltown and Perry.
“We are thrilled to work with Fareway as we continue striving to meet customer needs while moving toward a sustainable future together,” said Mason Adams, Key Account Manager, Alliant Energy. “This project aligns with our mission-driven purpose to strengthen communities and the essential businesses within them, like Fareway, while also providing the opportunity to enhance the advancement of renewables.”
The project is part of Alliant Energy’s® Customer-Hosted Renewables Program, which enables customers with available land to host solar facilities. In return, they receive lease payments for the next two decades and renewable energy credits. The project also furthers Alliant Energy’s goal to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
The solar field will be located on undeveloped land Fareway owns on the western edge of their distribution center in the Boone Industrial Park.
Alliant Energy will design, construct, own, operate and maintain the solar project. The solar field is currently expected to be operational by year-end.
About Fareway
Fareway Stores, Inc. is a growing Midwest grocery company currently operating 135 stores in a seven-state region. Fareway’s mission is to provide the highest quality products, while treating customers like family, and valuing dedicated employees. Its stores are known for their unmatched, full-service meat departments, farm-fresh produce, and exceptional to-your-car customer service. Fareway is a family-owned business, recognized as a top 10 employer in Iowa, and has more than 12,000 total employees. Visit Fareway for more information or shop online by visiting Shop.Fareway.com.
About Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) provides regulated energy service to 995,000 electric and 425,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy’s mission is to deliver energy solutions and exceptional service customers and communities count on – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy’s two public energy companies. Alliant Energy is a component of the Nasdaq CRD Sustainability Index, Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index, and the S&P 500. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com and follow Alliant Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
(contributed press release and photo, Alliant Energy)
