EPA's Top Green Powered Organizations (Q1 2012)

In April 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its list of the Top 50 Green-Powered Organizations. This quarterly list is part of the Green Power Partnership which works with a wide variety of leading organizations in the US. This includes Fortune 500® companies, local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities.

Combined, the green power use of Partners on the National Top 50 list amounts to nearly 16 billion kilowatt-hours annually, which represents nearly 70 percent of the green power commitments made by all EPA Green Power Partners.

Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. 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 EPA's list of top green-powered organizations included number of companies who have made sizable investment in renewable energy. This shows an increasing demand for renewable energy as well as a rising commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR).

As reported in Earth Techling, Intel offsets 85% of its annual energy bill with RECs and 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours. While Microsoft is a new addition to the EPA's top 50. With over 265 ENERGY STAR certified stores, 63 LEED certified stores, and solar power installations on 100 stores in 6 statesKohl's has been a green power leader since 2007.

The following companies and organizations ranked in the top 10 on the EPA's list in Q1 2012: