Today, as part of Climate Week NYC 2019, AT&T announced that our renewable energy purchases will surpass 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy capacity with the addition of new Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) with Invenergy and Duke Energy Renewables. The new deals will support new wind and solar projects, and help solidify AT&T’s position as one of the largest corporate purchasers of renewable energy in the U.S.
“AT&T is investing in renewable energy because it is good for our planet and our business,” said Charlene Lake, Chief Sustainability Officer & Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility. “AT&T’s new renewable energy purchases are a milestone in our company-wide efforts to help address climate change, and they will deliver important benefits to our bottom line.”
Our newest renewable energy purchases will support wind and solar projects, developed by Invenergy, delivering 800 megawatts (MW) of sustainable energy, as well as 160 MWs of wind energy generated by the Frontier Windpower II project, developed by Duke Energy Renewables. The new purchase agreements build upon AT&T’s existing agreements supporting wind energy centers already operational or under development.
“Large-scale renewable energy investments are a key area of opportunity for achieving a low-carbon economy and are critically important to help us secure a world of no more than 1.5 degrees C warming,” said Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group, the international non-profit which runs Climate Week NYC. “The Climate Group is proud to have AT&T join with other leading companies at Climate Week NYC 2019 in taking bold action.”
Together, AT&T’s renewable energy purchases to date are expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an amount equivalent to providing electricity for more than 560,000 homes or taking 690,000 cars off the road for 1 year. The total annual energy produced is also enough to power New York City for approximately 1 month. The projects will create hundreds of construction jobs and dozens of permanent jobs in fast-growing clean energy careers. As part of AT&T Aspire, our $500 million commitment to education and skilling, AT&T has provided scholarships and support for students seeking careers as wind turbine technicians and solar panel installers through contributions to organizations including Texas State Technical College (TSTC), Canadian Valley Technology Center (CV- Tech) and Homeboy Industries.
“AT&T’s renewable energy purchases are just one action our company is taking to respond to the changing climate,” said Lake. “Addressing climate change is a global challenge—and it will take collective action to deliver significant impact. We are pleased to join with leaders from around the world at Climate Week NYC to discuss innovations and opportunities to help advance climate action and progress toward global climate goals.”
As a platinum sponsor of Climate Week NYC 2019, AT&T is also highlighting this week our company- wide commitment to help address climate change and the progress we are making toward our 10x Carbon Reduction Goal to enable greenhouse gas (GHG) savings 10x the footprint of our operations by 2025. We’re celebrating our technology and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that are helping to reduce GHG emissions. And, we’re sharing insights about our Climate Change Analysis Tool and industry-leading Climate Resiliency Project, which is helping to assess the risks of climate change on our business and build resilience. More information about AT&T’s environmental initiatives and commitment to environmental responsibility can be found at att.com/environment.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
AT&T
Published Sep 20, 2019 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT / 9pm BST / 10pm CEST