The
EPA announced in August that it will power three of its research
facilities in Cincinnati, OH, with 100-percent renewable energy
through an agreement with Community Energy, Inc., a renewable
energy marketing company. By early 2002, EPA will be
receiving nine percent of its electricity from green sources
at facilities located in Richmond, CA; Golden, CO; Chelmsford,
MA; Manchester, WA; and Cincinnati.
The EPA Cincinnati facilities have committed to purchasing a
total of 15,560,000 kWh of premium renewable energy annually
for three years, with a three-year option to renew. Community
Energy, Inc. will supply 778,000 kWh of New Wind Energy™
each year from the Exelon Power Team at Mill Run, PA, which
will make up five percent of EPA Cincinnati’s estimated
usage. ComEd, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp. that serves customers
in Northern Illinois, in partnership with Environmental Resources
Trust (ERT), will supply the remainder of the renewable energy
contract with landfill gas energy from ComEd’s territory
in Illinois.
By purchasing wind and biomass energy, EPA can claim large reductions
in emissions associated with the purchase of conventional energy.
The emission benefits associated with this purchase are approximately
16,000 tons of carbon dioxide, 112,000 pounds of nitrous oxides
and 246,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide each year. |
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