Sprouts Farmers Market is partnering with Schneider Electric on a renewable energy initiative that includes a battery storage investment and a tax credit transfer agreement.
The natural and organic grocery chain and Schneider Electric announced what they described as a landmark tax credit transfer completed alongside U.S. Bank and Longroad Energy.
The deal supports development of the Sun Pond Solar + Battery Energy Storage System project in Maricopa County, the same county where Sprouts maintains its corporate headquarters.
Schneider Electric Advisory Services acted as a strategic advisor to Sprouts on the transaction. The Sun Pond project is designed to generate renewable electricity while strengthening local grid reliability and supporting cleaner air through large-scale battery storage capacity.
Sprouts’ investment helped bring the project online with 111 MWdc of solar capacity along with an 85 MWac / 340 MWh battery storage system.
The installation is expected to supply electricity to roughly 19,000 homes annually while preventing about 145,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Over the lifetime of the facility, the Sun Pond project is projected to generate more than $30 million in revenue for Arizona communities and schools through lease agreements and tax contributions.
Construction required more than 200 workers and has now been completed, with the facility officially entering commercial operations.
“This work is anchored in Sprouts’ purpose of helping people live and eat better,” said Brandon Lombardi, chief legal and sustainability officer of Sprouts Farmers Market.
“By supporting new renewable energy projects, we’re taking tangible steps to care for our planet, people, and local communities.”
The retailer has also introduced other sustainability-focused initiatives in recent years. These include a distribution center opened in California in 2023 that incorporates infrastructure to support future solar panel installation and meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards for environmentally efficient buildings.
The company has also installed electric vehicle charging stations for employee use and deployed an EV-powered terminal truck for daily yard operations.
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