The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on April 27 released a list of the nation’s top green power purchasers. The list is led by Intel Corporation, PepsiCo, Kohl’s Department Stores, Dell Inc., Whole Foods Market, The Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., Johnson & Johnson, U.S. Air Force, Cisco Systems Inc. and the City of Houston. The nation’s top 50 purchasers are buying more than 11 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) that would be produced from the electricity use of more than 1.1 million average American homes.
For the second year in a row, Intel Corporation is the nation’s largest single purchaser of green power, with purchases of more than 1.3 billion kWh of green power per year. This corresponds to CO2 emissions from the electricity use of nearly 130,000 average American homes.
Kohl’s, who more than doubled their green power purchase, secured a No. 3 spot on the National Top 50 list. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Dannon, Sony DADC and Motorola for the first time appeared on the National Top 50 list, securing the No. 15, No. 33, No. 40 and No. 44 spots, respectively.
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. Overall, EPA Green Power Partners are buying more than 16 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the CO2 emissions from electricity use of more than 1.5 million American homes.
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.
More information on top 50 list of green power purchasers: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top50.htm
Information on EPA’s Green Power Partnership: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower