EPA Releases Green Power List, Microsoft Debuts at Third

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Microsoft has ranked third in the EPA's list of organizations using the most green power, and along with McDonald's, appears on the list for the first time.

Intel and Kohl’s maintain their long-time first and second place positions on the Top 50 Green Power Partnership rankings, while Microsoft, which is new to the list, bumped Walmart’s California and Texas facilities from third to fourth place. The EPA updates the rankings quarterly.

Combined, the Top 50 partners use more than 15 billion kWh of green power annually, according to EPA data. By using green power, these organizations are avoiding carbon pollution equal to that created by the electricity use of more than 1.3 million American homes each year, the EPA reports.

Intel has ranked No. 1 on the list since 2008 and uses more than 2.5 billion kWh annually, or 88 percent of the company’s nationwide electricity use.

Microsoft says it has reduced carbon emissions by at least 30 percent since 2007 through a combination of energy efficiency measures and purchasing carbon credits. The EPA reports that the company purchased more than 1.1 billion kWh of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 46 percent of its electricity use, and is the annual equivalent to taking more than 150,000 passenger vehicles off the road.

Additionally, in Microsoft’s Puget Sound offices, employees can ride free Connector buses to and from work, eliminating approximately 9.9 million miles of auto travel in Puget Sound each year, the company said. And, according to CNET, Microsoft is designing a data center powered by renewable biogas sourced locally at landfills or wastewater treatment facilities.

The Green Power Partnership also updated the rankings of the 100 Percent Green Power Users list, which highlights about 700 partners using green power for their entire electricity load, as well as its Top 20 Retailers and Top 20 Local Governments lists. Kohl’s ranks number one on both the Top 20 Retailers and 100 Percent Green Power Users lists while the City of Houston ranks number one on the Top 20 Local Governments list.

Environment + Energy Leader