Solar energy tree unveiled outside L3Harris Technology Center in Palm Bay

Company officials saw the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the L3Harris Technology Center in Palm Bay for a solar energy "tree" as symbolic of the commitment of the aerospace and defense technology company to environmental sustainability.

The event coincided with Melbourne-based L3Harris Technologies Inc.'s release of its latest annual corporate "sustainability report."

In its sustainability report, L3Harris reported that, since 2019, the company has made a 23% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 23% reduction in water use and a 48% reduction in solid waste going into landfills.

The company has a goal, by 2026, of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, reducing water consumption by 20%, and reducing trash and other items going to landfills by 75%, compared with the base year of 2019. 

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In a message contained in the report, Christopher Kubasik, L3Harris vice chair and chief executive officer, said: "We remain keenly focused on a greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of 30% by 2026, reaching beyond enterprise opportunities to identify renewable energy projects across our business."

Kubasik cited as "a major win" the start of commercial operation for an L3Harris-supported 100-megawatt Elm Branch Solar Farm in Texas that will help eliminate about 110,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The 1,350-acre solar farm contains more than 360,000 solar panels.

"This solar project reinforces our commitment to sustainability and reducing our environmental footprint," L3Harris Vice President of Global Operations Byron Green said. "It serves as a model of the benefits that shared goals among several organizations can create to support our community and the environment."

As part of its environmental goals, L3Harris continues to create technologies that lead to solving complex sustainability challenges. L3Harris said its engineering teams "have been creating solutions to collect data and support environmental sustainability — from space to Earth."

"Resiliency is the name of the game as we move forward," said Todd Rimbey, vice president and general manager for advanced systems and technologies at L3Harris.

The company reported that, since the 1950s, its global positioning system or GPS technology has been key to tracking weather patterns. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration partnered with L3Harris to equip Geostationary Operation Environmental Satellites with the company's advanced baseline imager instruments to collect weather data — a task that becomes more crucial as the intensity of severe weather events increases.

L3Harris GPS satellites also play a major role in tracking greenhouse gas emissions.

"Data collected from the ground can be incomplete, but the view from 12,600 miles up is clear," the company's report said. "L3Harris’ thermal and near-infrared sensor on the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite-2 measures carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide, accurately differentiating between natural and man-made emissions."

Another key data collection technology from L3Harris is the FVR-90 unmanned aircraft system that is equipped with special technology, which collects data from tough environments, while keeping operators safe. Without human crews, this aircraft can tolerate extreme conditions for extended periods, allowing fewer and longer flights while saving fuel.

FVR-90 has been instrumental in tracking the seasonal breakup of Arctic Sea ice and shifting seal and fish populations.

"The flights can capture more complete data going low and slow, which cannot be done safely with a manned aircraft," the company said in its report.

L3Harris Technologies provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across space, air, land, sea and cyber domains.

The company has about 47,000 employees worldwide, including 7,750 in Brevard County, making it Brevard's third-largest employer, behind Brevard Public Schools and Health First.

L3Harris has more than $17 billion in annual revenue, with customers in more than 100 countries. 

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.

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