HanesBrands Renewable Energy Prioritization

Abstract

HanesBrands Inc. (HBI), a world-wide leading apparel manufacturer, has established the sustainability goals of reducing its energy intensity, carbon emission intensity, and increasing their renewable energy use. Duke Team has focused on HBI’s commitment of increasing company-wide renewable energy use to 40% by 2020 through prioritizing renewable energy investment options in their global portfolio. Based on the energy use breakdown & electricity costs of facilities, the Duke Team identified 10 facilities for a deeper dive. In order to better target facilities for the scalable Solar Photovoltaic (PV) & Solar PV + Battery technologies, a utility compilation database with electricity invoices detailing demand, consumption and administrative charges was created. Interval data was used to support the utility database by analyzing the energy consumption profiles of qualifying facilities with the best compatibility. Renewable energy investment options were explored in National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) System Advisor Model (SAM) model, with the support of thorough geo-market research. Ultimately, technical & financial feasibility analyses were the basis for recommendations in the areas of Solar PV & Solar PV+Storage, (Synthetic) Power Purchase Agreements (sPPAs), and RECs that could facilitate HBI’s goal regarding renewables.