Andersen Corporation (Andersen) announced it will begin utilizing renewable electricity in the company's Minnesota facilities as part of Xcel Energy's Renewable Connect program. Xcel Energy's Renewable Connect, a renewable electricity subscription-based program, empowers customers to fuel their facilities with up to 100% clean electricity, providing an innovative avenue for harnessing sustainability, even when direct solar or wind installations are not feasible. Andersen's Renewal by Andersen facility in Cottage Grove, Minn., corporate headquarters in Oak Park Heights, Minn., RD&I facility in Bayport, Minn., and all employee electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Minnesota will operate with 100% renewable electricity.

Through this Xcel Energy Renewable Connect subscription, Andersen is avoiding approximately 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions each year. This amount of avoided CO2 each year is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by approximately 10,000 acres of U.S. forest in one year. Beyond the utilization of renewable electricity, Andersen has held a long-standing commitment to energy efficiency in its facilities for many years.

As part of this commitment, Andersen has completed relighting initiatives at many of its manufacturing and logistics facilities - switching from older, less efficient lighting to LEDs. As an example, Andersen completed a relighting initiative in its Bayport facility -- transitioning the company's larger manufacturing plant from older lighting to LEDs. The conversion will annually avoid about 1,479 metric tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to the carbon sequered by more than 24,500 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.