Intel, Kohl’s Department Stores, Whole Foods Market, TD Bank, Deutsche Bank, NYSE EuroNext, BMO Harris Bank and Adobe Systems are among dozens of organizations that are using 100 percent green power in their US operations through renewable energy certificates, on-site generation and utility green power products, according to the EPA’s annual Green Power Partnership lists.
EPA’s lists include the National Top 50, Top 20 Retail, Top 20 Colleges and Universities, Top 20 Local Governments and Top 20 On-site Generation – which you can read about at Energy Manager Today.
The EPA’s 100% Green Power Users list, which is updated quarterly, identifies businesses, local and federal government agencies, organizations and universities that use 100 percent renewable energy for US operations. Usage figures are based on annualized partner contract amounts, such as kilowatt-hour, not calendar year totals.
Intel had the largest annual green power usage on both the general and the 100 percent green power lists, with 3.1 billion kilowatt-hours from biogas, biomass, small hydro, solar and wind sources generated on-site and purchased from provider Sterling Planet.
Kohl’s followed on both lists with 1.53 billion kWh from solar and wind green power sources. Kohl’s meets its 100 percent green power standard through on-site generation and from providers 3Degrees, Nexant and Sterling Planet.
Whole Foods had the third-largest amount of green power usage among those using 100 percent green power, with 800 million kWh of solar and wind power via on-site generation and provider 3Degrees. Staples, the District of Columbia, City of Austin, TD Bank, EPA, Deutsche Bank and Washington Real Estate Investment Trust rounded out the top 10 100 percent green power users.
The University of Pennsylvania led the Top 20 College and University list with more than 200 million kWh of solar and wind energy. The renewable energy, which meets 48 percent of the university’s total electricity use, was either generated on-site or purchased through provider Community Energy.
Organizations new to the Green Power Partnership’s lists include Oklahoma State University, which debuted as No. 43 on the National Top 50 list and No. 5 on the Top 20 College and University list of green power users. Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations appeared at No. 11 on the Top 20 On-site Generation list; Rackspace USA was No. 16 on the Top 20 Tech and Telecom list and Arlington County Public Schools in Virginia debuted as No. 5 on the Top 20 K-12 Schools list.