Exton firm plans wind-electric plants for Mars Inc.

Mars Inc., the McLean, Va. company that makes Snickers bars, Skittles candies, Altoids mints, Uncle Ben's rice and other branded foods, says it has made a deal with Exton-based BNB Renewable Energy and Sumitomo Corp. of Americas to build a 200 MW windfarm that will reduce the "carbon footprint" of Mars' U.S. operations. Mars operates 70 facilities, including plants and offices, employing 25,000. Statement here.

The 118-turbine Mesquite Creek Wind farm, on 25,000 acres near Lamesa, Texas, is designed to offset Mars' use of carbon-based fuels, the company said in this statement. BNB, a partnership including members of suburban Philadelphia's Butcher family, former owners of the Butcher & Singer investment company, initiated the joint venture talks. BNB says it has also been developing alternative-energy plants for Campbell Soup and other companies.