RIDGELAND, Miss. — Cal-Maine Foods Inc. has announced a partnership with Entegrity Energy Partners, an energy services, sustainability, and solar development provider. Given the expanding opportunities for solar investments, Cal-Maine Foods has engaged Entegrity to install a 4.15 megawatt, direct-current solar array at the company’s egg production and processing operation in Searcy, Ark.
The 28-acre solar array is projected to offset approximately 91 percent of the facility’s current electrical usage and expected to enhance the company’s energy self-sufficiency and lessen the Searcy location’s reliance on the electrical grid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Pending approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission, Entegrity is expected to begin construction during the second quarter of 2023.
“We are proud of our mission to be the most sustainable producer and reliable supplier of high-quality fresh shell eggs and egg products in the United States, demonstrating a ‘Culture of Sustainability’ in everything we do,” Tim Thompson, vice president, operations of Cal-Maine Foods, said. “The team at Searcy is excited to support this project, and to be a part of the forward-looking operational story at Cal-Maine Foods. We believe that this solar investment helps augment the Searcy farm’s commitment to sustainability and helps us become more resilient in our ability to meet customers’ needs.”
“We have recently seen an increased drive for solar solutions in Arkansas given the constructive regulatory environment, attractive potential returns on investments and enhanced commitment to sustainability goals,” Michael Parker, president of Entegrity, said. “For more than 15 years, and through nearly 350 projects, we have strived to partner with companies that share our vision of a sustainable future. With Cal-Maine Foods, we can deliver our energy expertise to help prepare the company for a more sustainable future. Their enthusiasm for this project speaks to their values and who they are as a company.”
