Organizations Leading the EPA’s Annual Green Power Partnership Lists

The EPA’s annual Green Power Partnership lists includes dozens of organizations that are now using 100 percent green energy to power their US operations. Organizations achieve this amazing feat with the help of renewable energy certificates, on-site generation and utility green power products.

The "100 percent" list is updated quarterly and identifies a range of organizations (businesses, government agencies, organizations and universities) that use only renewable energy in their US operations. (Usage figures are based on annualized partner contract amounts, such as kilowatt-hour, not calendar year totals).

As stated on the EPA's site, "Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide."

The top three companies on the EPA's 100% Green Power Users list are Intel, Kohls, and Whole Foods.

1. Intel

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.

 2. Kohl’s Department Stores

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.

3. Whole Foods Market

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.

Other companies that made the list

TD Bank, Deutsche Bank, NYSE, EuroNext, BMO, Harris Bank, Adobe Systems

To go the EPA leaders in each category see below:

100% Green Power Users.
National Top 50
Top 20 Retail
Top 20 Colleges and Universities
Top 20 Local Governments
Top 20 On-site Generation

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Xcel Energy's Planned Emissions Reductions

While some utilities are resistant to the EPA's new clean air rules, others, like Xcel Energy are more supportive and they are already working on reducing emissions.

"From our perspective it's almost a moot point," said Mark Stutz, a spokesman for Xcel Energy. "We support it because we've come up with a plan of action."

In 2010, Colorado passed legislation called the Clean Energy-Clean Jobs Act. Xcel was part of a diverse group that helped to create the measure initiated by former Gov. Bill Ritter. The law calls for Colorado utilities to reduce their emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and carbon dioxide.

Xcel is expected to close a coal-fired unit at a Boulder plant and three at a plant in Denver. They plan to replace these plants with power from new cleaner natural gas-powered plants. The utility will also install modern emissions controls to cut emissions.

These measures will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by about 85 percent and sulfur dioxide and mercury emissions by about 80 percent. These significant emissions reductions come at a very modest cost to consumers. Xcel has indicated that these changes will result in rate increase of roughly 2 percent annually over the next decade.

Xcel will reduce its carbon emissions by 28 percent below a 2005 baseline, which is the goal stipulated in the Clean Energy-Clean Jobs Act.© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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