Staples retail store Rt.1, Saugus, Massachusetts USA. (Credit: Anthony92931 / http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Anthony92931)
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last update of the Green Power Partnership’s Top Partner Rankings list, two more companies have now joined the 100% green energy club. All the electricity used by Intel and Staples is coming from the renewable sources. Since the last update in October, 2012, Intel have increased its green energy cut from 88% to 100% (for a total of 300 million kWh). Staples went from 80% to 101% or 120 kWh of green power (101% means that Staples buy s an amount of green power that exceeds 100% of their U.S. organization-wide electricity use).
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 including major companies, colleges and universities, as well as local, state, and federal governmental agencies to promote the use of green power. 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. See the EPA Green Power Partnership Top 50 webpage and DOE’s Green Power Network website.
