Energy Management Articles
Smart Energy Voices Podcast - Episode 19: Driving Decarbonization With Digital Innovation
We open our second season of Smart Energy Voices with Microsoft’s Vanessa Miler-Fels, Director of Energy Innovation and Impact. Decarbonization is one of the primary goals many companies are trying to achieve in their operations. Microsoft is leading the way in the realm of corporate leadership, setting its Carbon Negative Pledge as a standard to follow. Miler-Fels’ insights and clear way of describing the “carbon math” the Microsoft team has done to empower their own efforts and extend their approach to their own supply chain partners come through loud and clear in this conversation. Listen to hear the generous and ambitious contributions Microsoft is poised to make to the world’s energy future.
Danone signs PPA for power from Europe's largest PV plant
Danone announced on Jan. 21 that it has signed a long-term PPA to obtain power from Europe's biggest photovoltaic plant. The move will allow the global food company to power its plants and factories in Spain with 100% renewable electricity.
Elon Musk offers $100 million for winning carbon capture technology
Tesla’s Elon Musk announced on Twitter on Jan. 21 that he is offering $100 million prize to whoever develops the “best” technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions.
Miller County, Arkansas increases energy efficiency in government buildings
Miller County, Arkansas is almost done with making its five main government office buildings more energy-efficient through measures like heating, lighting, cooling and other improvements.
Honda obtains 120 MW of wind through VPPA
Following a VPPA last September, Honda will receive 120 MW of renewable power from the recently completed Boiling Springs Wind Farm. Project owner RWE Renewables announced on Jan. 20 that the offtake is one of the largest-ever renewable energy purchases.
Clean energy programs power New York State communities
New York State announced on Jan. 20 that it added three new community choice aggregation programs (CCA) in 2020 to more than 100,000 utility account holders in twelve communities. CCA programs help residents save money in addition to supporting local economic growth and helping to meet state climate goals.
Global green hydrogen production set to reach 5.7 million tons by 2030
Frost & Sullivan announced on Jan. 19 that its recent analysis forecasts that global green hydrogen production will skyrocket at a compound annual growth rate of 57% between 2019 and 2030, rising from 40,000 tons to 5.7 million tons.
President Biden rejoins Paris Agreement
U.S. President Joseph R. Biden fulfilled his promise to rejoin the Paris Agreement on his first day in office. One of 15 executive actions signed from the Oval Office on January 20, the action signals a major policy reversal following four years during which the Trump administration rejected climate science and rolled back environmental regulation to maximize fossil fuel development.
Veto of landmark climate bill is a missed opportunity for Massachusetts
The decision by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to veto landmark climate legislation is extremely disappointing and a step in the wrong direction for Massachusetts’ ability to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, according to this column from Ceres. The organization is calling on state legislators to reintroduce this legislation immediately, noting that the Commonwealth cannot afford to delay the transition to a net-zero emissions future that is already underway.
Kansas City Southern commits to science-based emissions reduction target
Kansas City Southern, a transportation holding company, announced on Jan. 19 that it has submitted a commitment letter to the science-based targets initiative (SBTi) pledging to establish greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
New Jersey permits program to replace diesel trucks with electric vehicles
New Jersey is launching a pilot program to incentivize businesses and institutional organizations to divert from diesel trucks and instead purchase medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles.
Massachusetts governor vetoes climate bill
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) vetoed a bill on Jan 14 that would update the state’s carbon emissions goals to make the state “net neutral” by 2050, citing that the bill didn’t do enough to help cities and towns adapt to the effects of climate change.
Fifth Third Bank achieves carbon neutrality for 2020 operations
Fifth Third Bank announced on Jan. 19 that it reached carbon neutrality for its operations in 2020, including greenhouse gas emissions from its facilities and business travel.
Energy transition investment reached $500 billion in 2020
On Jan. 19 BloombergNEF (BNEF) announced a new broad measure of energy transition investment showing global record-breaking 2020 commitments to decarbonization totaling $501.3 billion. This beats the previous year by 9% despite the economic disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
VRESF Video: The Evolution of McDonald's Sustainability Roadmap
Our series of presentations from the 2020 VIrtual Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum continues with "The Evolution of McDonald's Sustainability Roadmap." Emma Cox, Global Renewable Energy Lead, explains how the company's motto, "Scale for Good," is being put into action as McDonald's explores how to achieve its own sustainability goals and how to bring others along with them.
U.S. Air Force begins construction on ESPC
The United States Air Force announced on Jan. 14 that it began construction on an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) including a combined heat and power plant with microgrid controls to improve energy resilience and enhance mission readiness at its Yokota Air Base outside of Tokyo, Japan.
Marsh & McLennan announces carbon reduction commitments
Marsh & McLennan, a global professional risk services firm, announced two important commitments on Jan. 14 in the effort to combat climate change.
Kia rebrand reflects sustainable mobility solutions
Kia announced new branding on Jan. 15 to create sustainable mobility solutions for customers. Signaling the brand breaking away from its traditional manufacturing-driven business model, Kia will form a new corporate name, removing ‘Motors’ from its name (previously ‘Kia Motors Corporation’).
Weekend reads: How a Northern Virginia county joined a solar agreement with Amazon; The 2021 outlook for DERs
It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.
Repurposing the Western Maryland Railway Station
The Western Maryland Railway Station in Cumberland, Maryland, built in 1913, went through various transformations before its current use for offices, a museum, and retail shops. This column from Better Buildings shows how a comprehensive building upgrade resulted in a 21 percent annual energy savings.
Uber announces new initiatives to increase clean mobility
Uber announced on Jan. 12 that it is expanding on four key initiatives announced in September 2020 in order to more aggressively tackle climate change.
NYSERDA advances offshore wind projects at two state ports
NYSERDA announced on Jan. 13 that it selected Equinor to provide New York State with offshore wind power in one of the largest renewable energy procurements in the U.S. to date.
Mercury Marine installs solar array at its world headquarters
Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation that provides engines and other marine accessories, announced on Jan. 6 that it installed its first solar array at its world‑headquarters campus in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
PepsiCo pledges net-zero emissions by 2040
PepsiCo announced plans on Jan. 14 to more than double its science-based climate goal, reducing absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
Firestone Walker Brewing completes large on-site solar array
Firestone Walker Brewing Company announced on Jan. 13 that it has completed one of the largest on-site solar installations in craft beer: a 2.1-MW array and 281-kW solar carport on 9.7 acres near its main brewery in Paso Robles, California.
Green Data Center Real Estate signs letter of intent for 56-MW solar project
Green Data Center Real Estate has signed a letter of intent for a 56-MW solar project to power a data center in Illinois. The project will include battery storage capabilities and generator-based backup power.
Amgen to achieve carbon neutrality by 2027
Amgen, a manufacturer of human therapeutics, announced on Jan. 11 the launch of a new seven-year environmental sustainability plan, which includes a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality while also reducing water use by 40% and waste disposed of by 75%
EagleClaw Midstream achieves ESG milestones
EagleClaw Midstream announced on Jan. 13 that it has achieved several milestone ESG goals including sourcing 100% of its required electricity from renewable energy sources beginning April 1, 2021.
GM launches BrightDrop business to electrify delivery and services
General Motors announced on Jan. 12 its new business, BrightDrop, which will offer an integrated ecosystem of electric first-to-last-mile products, software, and services to empower delivery and logistics companies to move goods more efficiently.
Lowe’s makes 12-year commitment to purchase solar power
Lowe’s announced that it will purchase 250 MW of clean electricity per year from Swift Current Energy’s Black Diamond Solar Project in Illinois. The commitment will last 12 years.
