March 27, 2006—In a case of practicing what it preaches, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced March 23 that 100 percent of its power consumption at its Washington, DC, headquarters will be supplied by green, renewable power.
In addition, the vast majority of energy at over 30 regional and laboratory facilities will come from sustainable sources.
EPA has contracted to purchase nearly 260 million kilowatt hours of green power each year for 10 of the agency’s offices and 21 laboratories, which places the agency among the top three green-power consumers in the country.
Only the US Air Force and Whole Foods Markets buy more green power.
Energy for the EPA Green Power Purchase Program includes sources such as biogas (methane from landfills), biomass (plant-derived material), geothermal, and wind. Depending on location, the agency may buy green-power electricity from the local supplier, or purchase “green tags.” These tags allow EPA to support green-power production in a distant location.
For more information about green power, visit the EPA Web site.
