Frito-Lay says it has made progress in the transformation of its Modesto, Calif., manufacturing site by replacing all of its existing diesel-powered fleet equipment with zero-emission (ZE) and near-zero emission (NZE) technologies. Since the project was announced in October 2019, the 500,000-square-foot facility has transitioned to environmentally sustainable manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.
The implementation of ZE and NZE technologies over the past year has led to sustainable impact – reducing the Modesto site’s fleet absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 53%, as well as lowering fleet diesel usage by 78%. The site has also been able to convert to 100% renewable electricity for direct operations through a combination of renewable electricity certificates and on-site generation, due in part to PepsiCo achieving 100% renewable electricity in the U.S. in January 2021.
“Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are dedicated to reducing our environmental impact, especially in the more than 200 communities where we operate,” says Steve Hanson, senior director of fleet operations, engineering and sustainability for Frito-Lay. “We anticipate overall diesel usage will be eliminated entirely from the Modesto fleet operations when fully implemented.”
To date, the equipment and infrastructure in place at the site includes nearly 60 tractors, box trucks, yard trucks or forklifts powered by electric, lithium-ion technologies or natural gas with renewable attributes, with the remaining 15 electric tractors expected to deploy later this year. Infrastructure to support the project incorporates an adjacent natural gas station with renewable attributes, as well as solar carports, battery storage, truck charging systems and employee electric vehicle charging stations.
For more information about Frito-Lay and PepsiCo sustainability initiatives, click here.
