Deere and Company, known more famously as John Deere is one of the leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery around the world. This American corporation, based in Moline, Illinois, is a Fortune 500 company and sells everything from tractors, cotton harvesters, and combine harvesters, to planters, seeders, sprayers, and even ATVs. John Deere is also known for the manufacturing of construction equipment, forestry equipment, and is a diesel engine supplier for heavy equipment. They also make a lot of turf care equipment, including lawn mowers and snow blowers. Aside from all this, John Deere and Company also makes the time for a number of clean technology highlights.
1 ) John Deere to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions. In 2008 Deere and Company made plans to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by the year 2014. The company is to be using the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders program to create new energy saving projects at all John Deere facilities around the globe. For example, its German plant, Zweibruecken Works, is going to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the installation of two carbon-neutral biomass boilers which will generate enough energy to air condition the offices, heat the facilities, and provide the necessary head to a number of manufacturing processes.
2 ) John Deere Partners with Adage for Biopower Alliance. In 2010, Deere and Company formed an alliance with Adage to create process and technology innovation to the fuel supply to a number of woody biomass power projects. The first project will be located in Mason County, Washington. This project involves the collection, bundling, as well as transportation of branches along with other wood debris from regional-based logging operations to an Adage-owned biomass power facility. John Deere is supply all the forestry equipment utilized to gather and bundle all the debris. This facility will create 55 megawatts of energy, which is enough for an estimated 40,000 homes.
3 ) John Deere Partners with Hydrogenics for Fuel Cell Power. Hydrogenics, a fuel cell designer and manufacturing company, sold six ten-kilowatt fuel cell power modules to Deere and Company for the integration and evaluation in off-roading vehicle applications, such as grounds equipment as well as utility vehicles. “Our electrification initiative has been very successful to date and has served as a strong indicator of what might be possible with fuel cells and other technologies,” says Bruce Wood, director of John Deere’s ePower Technologies group. “John Deere has a strong heritage of innovation and we believe that electrification will enable us to add functionality to our products, with the goal of helping our customers meet their work objectives. Our initial fuel cell prototypes and demonstrators are in the light commercial area, however we see much broader application for electrification across all lines of equipment and we are confident strong partners like Hydrogenics will help us achieve exciting objectives for this technology.”
4 ) Corn and Wood Pellet Stoves. John Deere’s Corn and Wood Pellet Stoves allow residents to heat their home using renewable energy sources that are easy to replenish every year. This stove will aid homeowners in reducing home heating costs, making the home more energy efficient.
5 ) John Deere Developed 12 Megawatt Wind Farm in Kansas. In 2009, John Deere Renewables announced the plan to develop a 12 megawatt wind farm in Greensburg, Kansas. This wind farm was created to meet the, at the time, burgeoning green rebuilding initiative after a large tornado wrecked Greensburg a year previous. “The City of Greensburg is thrilled to see this project begin, as it will meet our energy goals to be 100% renewable,” said Steve Hewitt, Greensburg City Administrator. “This model will serve as an example of how communities can meet their sustainable goals through collaboration. Our efforts to be a green community hinge on our energy model.”
6 ) John Deere Developed 16 Megawatt Wind Farm in Idaho. In December 2009 John Deere Renewables started breaking ground on a brand new wind energy project in Twin Falls County, Idaho. Named the Tuana Springs Wind Farm, it will consist of eight two megawatt wind turbines. John Deere Renewables will remain on as owner and operator, which Idaho Power Company is the energy purchaser for the project.
7 ) John Deer Builds Three New Wind Farms in Michigan. John Deer Wind Energy made plans in 2010 to develop three Michigan-based wind farms. Two of these farms will be the largest commercial-scale wind farms in the state. This project, when completed will increase wind power capacity for the state by 61 percent – 374 megawatts, which is enough to provide electricity of over 84,000 residential households.
8 ) Olathe, Kansas Sales and Marketing Center Achieves LEED Status. In September of 2011, the sales and marketing center in Olathe, Kansas achieved Gold LEED Certification. This building is, “laid out to enhance the work environment for employees and to help support teamwork and collaboration between all work groups. It will meet changing organizational needs and provide common work areas to support a more flexible workforce.”
9 ) John Deere Kansas Dealership Achieves LEED Status. In August of 2009, John Deere made the announcement that its John Deere dealership in Greensburg, Kansas has received Platinum LEED Certification. Some of the things that helped the dealership reach this level of distinction include 23 skylights to utilize natural lighting, low VOC carpets, sealants, and paints to guarantee good indoor air quality, and utilizes over 50 percent less electricity than the code-required minimum performance.
10 ) As a Note: Exelon Acquired John Deere Renewables in 2010. Most of the clean technology done by John Deere took place through a subsidiary known as John Deere Renewables. However, in 2010, Exelon Corporation bought John Deere Renewables and, therefore, took over all the projects originally set up by Deere and Company. According to the Exelon Chairman and CEO, John W. Rowe, “Not only does this acquisition add value for Exelon shareholders, providing incremental earnings in 2012 and cash flows in 2013, but it also is one more way to implement a clean energy future.”
