Bimbo Bakeries Focuses on Sustainability with Renewable Energy Microgrids

GreenStruxure, an Energy-as-a-service (EaaS) company, has installed onsite renewable energy microgrids for Bimbo Bakeries USA, a baking company in the United States, at its California facilities. Going green can't just be focused on your vehicle fleet. True sustainable operations are looking at all of their operations and ways to continue to increase their zero-emissions efforts. 

The installation marks a significant milestone in Bimbo Bakeries USA's ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

EaaS is an outcome-based model that removes the development and operational risks from businesses. GreenStruxure designs, builds, operates, and maintains onsite microgrids and delivers EaaS for clients under a long-term energy services agreement. This provides clients with cost-effective, sustainable, reliable, and resilient electricity, according to GreenStruxure.

"Energy as a Service allows companies to bypass the challenges associated with traditional energy and limit the exposure to rising utility prices," said Jose Lorenzo Lista. "It's a cost-effective way for companies to mitigate risk while making a positive environmental impact."

The Road to a Sustainable Fleet Operation 

In 2022, GreenStruxure and Bimbo Bakeries USA entered into a long-term Energy Services Agreement to design, build, operate, and maintain onsite renewable energy microgrid systems for six of its California bakeries: 

1. Montebello
2. Placentia
3. Oxnard
4. San Luis Obispo
5. South San Francisco
6. Sacramento.

GreenStruxure's strategic partner, ClearGen LLC, a Blackstone company, provided the financing.

GreenStruxure designed and built the onsite renewable energy microgrids, which it now operates and maintains as part of the Energy Services Agreement. Through its digital services platform, Beyondthegrid, GreenStruxure provides complete transparency on portfolio performance, including zero-carbon energy, peak demand management, and optimized use of energy from the grid and its onsite system.

This collaboration advances Bimbo Bakeries USA's sustainability and decarbonization goals, including reducing its carbon footprint and limiting its reliance on grid energy. The microgrids at the facilities will reduce nearly 20% of CO2e emissions. In addition, the site is ready for added resiliency and EV charging in the future.

"We are excited to partner with Bimbo Bakeries USA in their decarbonization journey," said Jose Lorenzo Lista, GreenStruxure's CEO. "Our standardized and modular onsite microgrid supplies clean, reliable, and affordable energy. It comes with a best-in-class AI platform, Beyondthegrid, for active energy management and asset management and insights on portfolio performance. Together, we're shaping a more sustainable future."

"It is our responsibility, as part of Grupo Bimbo – the world's largest baking company, to be a leader in sustainability," said Chris Wolfe, Bimbo Bakeries USA's Senior Director of Environmental Sustainability. "Our goal is to protect and preserve the planet. The microgrid systems at these six bakeries are another step in lowering our overall carbon footprint."

The onsite microgrids exemplify how Bimbo Bakeries USA utilizes green technology to achieve its sustainability objectives. The system, designed and built by GreenStruxure, uses solar panels and battery storage to generate clean, reliable, and cost-effective energy for the bakery's operations. This reduces Bimbo Bakeries USA's dependence on the traditional grid and minimizes its environmental impact.

Bimbo Bakeries has long focused on sustainable operations, including its vehicle fleet with many electric walk-in vans in it's U.S. and global fleet operations.