by Brianna Crandall — February 22, 2013—The latest release of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Power Partnership’s quarterly Top Partner Rankings shows that two more companies have now purchased enough green power to account for 100% of their respective total U.S. electricity use.
Since the EPA’s last quarterly update in October 2012, Intel expanded its use of green power from 88% to 100% of its total electricity use by purchasing 300 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, while Staples increased from 80% to 101% green power use by adding 120 million kWh of green power.
Intel and Staples join 15 other Top 50-ranked Green Power Partners in obtaining 100% or more of their electricity from renewable energy sources. The recently released totals are up to date as of January 9, 2013.
Intel, which currently ranks first in the total amount of purchases on the Green Power Partnership Top 50 list, uses electricity generated from biogas, biomass, small hydro, solar, and wind. Staples, ranked sixth overall on the Top 50 list, sources its electricity from biogas, solar, and wind energy.
The Green Power Partnership works with a variety of organizations to promote the use of green power, including major companies and retailers; and schools, colleges and universities; as well as local, state, and federal governmental agencies. Organizations can meet EPA Green Power Partnership requirements using any combination of three different product options: renewable energy certificates; on-site generation; and utility green power products.
Combined, the top 50 largest purchases of green power by EPA Green Power Partners amount to more than 17 billion kWh annually, which represents nearly 70% of the green power commitments made by all EPA Green Power Partners. Usage amounts in the rankings reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced from U.S.-based green power resources.
