GCC Plant Moves to Renewable Energy

GCC’s Rapid City, S.D., cement plant has partnered with Black Hills Energy to move to wind energy in the next year. The Black Hills’ Renewable Ready Program will provide about 50% of the cement plant’s electricity needs for the next 15 years.

“By choosing low-cost renewable energy resources to power our business, we’re able to advance our business goals and sustainability objectives while also supporting the expansion of affordable, renewable energy development in the region,” said Ron Henley, U.S. Division president of GCC. “Clean energy is good for the planet and good for our company.”

Black Hills Energy will build a wind-power generating facility in 2020 to supply the energy. Located near Cheyenne, Wyo., the Corriedale Wind Energy Project is anticipated to produce energy by the first quarter of 2021 that will be shared with subscribers in South Dakota and Wyoming. The program was designed for large commercial and industrial customers and governmental agencies in the company’s electric service territories.

With a clinker production capacity of 1.2 million short tons, GCC – Rapid City ranks in the top 20% of plants in the United States. Converting to wind energy will reduce the cement plant’s CO2 emissions about 50,000 metric tons annually – the equivalent of taking 11,000 cars off the road each year. 

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