Intel is the largest user of clean energy within the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Green Power Partnership for the fourth consecutive year, according to the agency’s recently updated National Top 100 Partners list.
The technology company annually generates 3,102,050,000 kWh of clean energy from biogas, biomass, small-hydro, solar, and wind, EPA says. Last year, Intel produced around the same amount.
Kohl’s, second on the list, produced about half as much clean energy as Intel, generating 1,536,529,000 kWh from solar. Microsoft came in a close third, producing 1,363,216,892 kWh from biogas, biomass, solar, and wind.
Whole Foods, Google, Walmart, Staples, Apple, the City of Houston, and the U.S. Department of Energy rounded out the list’s top ten.
The list represents the largest green power users within the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, which works with a wide variety of organizations — from Fortune 500 companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities. The Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power use of leading Green Power Partners within the United States and across individual industry sectors.
The combined green power usage of the Top 100 Partners amount to nearly 24 billion kilowatt-hours annually, which represents nearly 87 percent of the green power commitments made by all EPA Green Power Partners. Notably, the top green power users largely hail from the private sector.
The usage amounts reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced from U.S.-based green power resources. Organizations can meet EPA Partnership requirements using any combination of three different product options: (1) Renewable Energy Certificates, (2) On-site generation, and (3) Utility green power products.
The usage figures used for the list are based on annualized Partner contract amounts (kilowatt-hours), not calendar-year totals. The rankings are updated on a quarterly schedule; these latest rankings are based on data received as of July 28, 2014.
In February, Kohl’s also was recognized by EPA as a winner of the agency’s Climate Leadership Awards. Nineteen awards were given to 15 organizations and two individuals in the public and private sectors for their leadership in addressing climate change by reducing carbon pollution. the awards recognize and incentivize exemplary corporate, organizational and individual leadership in response to climate change. Award recipients represent a wide array of industries, including finance, manufacturing, retail, technology, higher education and local government.
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Founder, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Aug 8, 2014 12pm EDT / 9am PDT / 5pm BST / 6pm CEST