Hy-Vee launches solar project and bee pollination study

Hy-Vee has completed the first phase of its solar energy project in Chariton, Iowa—the first step in a partnership with Alliant Energy Corp. which will produce enough energy to power 360 homes a year.

The grocer and the Madison, Wisc.-based power company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday for the launch of the Hy-Vee Chariton Solar Field. 

“These initiatives encapsulate what can happen when a forward-looking company like Hy-Vee partners with their local energy company to advance sustainably,” Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company President Mayuri Farlinger said in a press release. “Hy-Vee’s decision to be a leader in this space is something we’re extremely proud of as we deliver on our purpose to serve customers and build stronger communities.”

Hy-Vee also installed an on-site apiary at the solar field and has partnered with Iowa State University researchers to study how native plants can help sustain bee colonies. 

The grocer is also working with Alliant Energy on a pilot project that deployed a fleet of 30 electric refrigerated trailers that are delivering perishable goods to stores throughout Iowa. 

Those sustainable freezers replace those that typically run on diesel fuel. Hy-Vee said the electric trailers will enable quieter idling near its stores and a reduced environmental impact. 

The project follows an industry trend of grocers supporting solar energy and other sustainability projects. In October 2023, Dollar Tree announced a partnership with DSD Renewables to build seven community solar power plants in New York state.

Dollar Tree said the project will enable the company to become an “anchor tenant subscriber” and offset 29% of its energy needs across the state. 

In May 2023, Canadian grocer Loblaw Companies announced that it would begin purchasing and exclusively using wind, solar, and water power energy from renewable energy company TC Energy. 

Ahold Delhaize-owned Giant Company made headlines in June 2020 with the announcement that it had established a seven-acre, pollinator-friendly solar field at its headquarters in Carlisle, Pa. 

The pollinator field aimed to “educate our team members, customers and the community about the crucial role bees play in getting food onto their family’s table,” former Giant President Nick Bertram said of the project in 2020.