Big Business Buys Green Power Big Time

That amount of green power is enough to meet 47 percent of the organization's purchased electricity use. To recognize this achievement, the Intel Corporation has been honored as a Top 50 Purchaser by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership program.

This has the equivalent impact of reducing the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of nearly 130,000 average American homes, said the U.S. EPA in naming Intel to the Top 50 list today.

The Dillon Wind Power Project is a 45 megawatt wind farm located in Palm Springs and Riverside County, California. (Photo courtesy Iberdrola Renewables)

Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. Green power electricity generates less pollution than conventional power and produces no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

PepsiCo is number two on the Top 50 list. One of the world's largest food and beverage companies, PepsiCo purchases renewable energy certificates to match 100 percent of its electricity purchased in the United States, totaling more than one billion kilowatt-hours annually.

In addition, the Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. is number six on the Top 50 list and PepsiAmericas, Inc. checked in at number 24. Both companies purchase renewable energy certificates equal to 100 percent of their electricity needs. "Promoting sustainability is a major priority for our organization," says PBG President and chief executive Eric Foss. "PBG looks forward to doing its part to improve environmental quality for future generations."

In addition, two California universities – the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara University – have together purchased over 68 million kilowatts of green power, earning themselves Green Power College and University Challenge awards from the U.S. EPA.

"Congratulations to the Intel Corporation, University of Santa Clara, and UC Santa Cruz – their cutting-edge policies fortify our nation's commitment to cleaner, healthier air," said Deborah Jordan, the EPA's Air Division director for the Pacific Southwest.

"With their commitment to use renewable energy, they are setting the standard for others and helping make renewable energy more affordable for all," she said.

The University of California, Santa Cruz beat its conference rivals by purchasing 57 million kilowatt-hours of green power, representing 100 percent of the school's annual electricity usage. This is equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to power nearly 6,000 average American homes each year.

Santa Clara University purchased more than 11 million kilowatt-hours of green power, representing 37 percent of the school's annual electricity usage. This is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power more than 1,000 average American homes each year.

The EPA's Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,000 partner organizations to voluntarily purchase green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use.

Kohl's Department Stores, based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, holds the number three place on the Top 50 list of Green Power purchasers, buying enough renewable energy to supply half its electricity needs.

Some of the largest corporations in the country are Top 50 green power purchasers, including Dell, Inc., which buys 158 percent of its electricity needs from suppliers of biogas, solar and wind power.

Whole Foods Market supplies 100 percent of its energy needs with solar and wind, while The World Bank Group buys 100 percent of its electricity from a wind power generator.

Overall, EPA Green Power Partners are buying more than 16 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from electricity use of more than 1.5 million American homes.

For more information on Top 50 list of green power purchasers, visit: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top50.htm. For more information on EPA's Green Power Partnership, visit: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower

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