WASHINGTON, D.C.—In response to EPA’s nationwide challenge issued in December 2006, 53 Fortune 500 corporations are now collectively purchasing more than 6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually. These purchases surpassed the goals set by EPA’s Green Power Partnership by 130 percent and equal the avoided carbon dioxide emissions of more than 570 million gallons of gasoline each year or the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 670,000 average American homes annually. Aramark Parks & Resorts is among the top purchasers of green power.
“EPA applauds our Fortune 500 partners for protecting our environment by purchasing green power,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “By voluntarily shifting to renewable energy, EPA’s environmental partners are proving you don’t need to wait for a signal in order to go green.”
Intel Corporation leads the group as the top buyer with a purchase of 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours per year. PepsiCo is second, followed by Wells Fargo & Company, Whole Foods Market, The Pepsi Bottling Group, and Johnson & Johnson. Cisco Systems and Kohl’s Department Stores recently made sizable purchase increases to place them at seventh and eighth on the list, respectively. Rounding out the top ten green power purchases are Starbucks and DuPont Co. Aramark Parks & Resorts is No. 29 on the list.
EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 850 partner organizations to buy green power voluntarily as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use and to support the development of new, renewable generation resources nationwide. Overall, EPA Green Power Partners are buying more than 13 billion kWh of green power annually.
Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and biogas, as well as low-impact hydropower. Green power resources produce electricity with an environmental profile superior to conventional power technologies and produce no net increase to greenhouse gas emissions.
For added information on EPA’s Fortune 500 Green Power Challenge please visit www.epa.gov/greenpower/partners/fortune500.htm.
