Aveda, "the hair care brand with a mission of care," has activated its new 3.6 acre, 900kW ground-mounted solar array at its headquarters in Blaine, Minnesota.
 
The new solar panels will collect sunlight throughout the day, converting the light into electricity and supplying it to the manufacturing facility on campus, sending excess energy back to the grid. The new array is part of the brand’s vision to be a renewable energy generator.
 
Aveda’s solar array is wildlife friendly, accented by several acres of new landscaping to create a natural pollinator habitat underneath the panels. It will offset more than 1,100 metric tons of CO2 annually, which is equivalent to 2.6 million miles driven by the average passenger vehicle; energy for 124 homes for one year; or the consumption of 2,485 barrels of oil.
 
“We are proud to be able to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability through the use of renewable energy via our new solar array,” said Barbara De Laere, Aveda SVP and global general manager. “Aveda has pioneered the use of renewable energy since 2006, when we became the first beauty company to manufacture using 100% wind power (through the purchase of energy credits). Now, our new 2,900 panel solar array will power up to 50% of our manufacturing facility’s annual demand for energy, with the remainder powered by wind. With the launch of this array, we are one step closer to our goal of becoming a carbon-positive manufacturer, one of the many sustainability goals we have set for the next decade.”
 
Aveda’s manufacturing facility produces more than 600 different products which make up approximately 80% of the brand’s total product offering. The main office building has an emphasis on sustainability: it is powered by solar and wind energy, is carpeted with recycled fibers, has composting and recycling bins throughout the building and an organic cafe. The company also recently installed energy-saving, LED lighting which has saved 346,271 kWh over four years (equivalent to burning 269,555 pounds of coal).