Energy Management Articles
SED Pulse Survey: COVID-19's Impact on Sustainability Goals and Workplace Restart
What effect has COVID-19 had on sustainability plans? And when will energy, sustainability, and facility executives return to their offices? Smart Energy Decisions fielded a Pulse survey to find out.
Kellogg to achieve more than 50% renewable electricity by end of 2022
Kellogg announced on March 3 that it will achieve more than 50% renewable energy to address the electricity needs of its owned manufacturing globally by the end of 2022.
Target adds three new RE projects to cover 25% of electricity use
Target announced March 4 three new renewable energy partnerships that will cover nearly a quarter of all its electricity use with wind and solar power.
Visa adds solar to the grid to power Virginia data center
Visa announced March 3 that it has entered into an agreement that will provide its Virginia data center with 100% renewable energy for five years.
Six US utilities join together to create interstate EV charging highway
A group of six major utilities announced March 2 a new coalition that will focus on creating a network of electric vehicle charging stations across major highways in the South, Midwest, Gulf, and Central Plains regions.
City of Healdsburg completes largest U.S. floating solar farm
The City of Healdsburg, California announced on March 3 that it has completed a floating solar project, the largest completed in the United States to date.
FedEx commits to carbon-neutral operations by 2040
FedEx Corp. announced on March 3 that it set a goal to achieve carbon–neutral operations globally by 2040. To help reach this goal, FedEx is designating more than $2 billion of the initial investment in three key areas: vehicle electrification, sustainable energy and carbon sequestration.
Jigar Shah to lead $40 billion DOE clean tech loan effort
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on March 3 the appointment of clean energy industry pioneer Jigar Shah as Director of the Loan Program Office, which will oversee more than $40 billion in loan authority across manufacturing, innovative finance, and tribal energy projects.
Citi's new CEO commits the bank to net zero by 2050
Citigroup's new CEO, Jane Fraser, announced on her first day as CEO on March 1 that the investment bank will be net zero in carbon emissions by 2050.
Choice and Flexibility: DER Survey Insights, Part 2
As the modern grid evolves away from large central generation towards smaller on-site electricity production, the new electric paradigm has spurred the growth of an incredible array of on-site distributed energy resources. In Part 2 of this series from NRG Energy based on results of the 2020 State of Distributed Energy Resources study conducted by Smart Energy Decisions, NRG looks at which technologies are gaining ground and five steps to consider when evaluating the selection of DERs that are right for you.
Cargill furthers initiatives to reduce GHG emissions by 30% by 2030
Seafood provider Cargill announced on March 1 that its SeaFurther Sustainability initiative will help aqua farmers raise more sustainable seafood with less environmental impact.
IKEA plans for solar car parks at retail locations
IKEA announced on Feb. 25 that it has completed its first solar car park at its Baltimore location. The location has already seen an 84% decrease in the amount of energy needed to be purchased between September – December 2020, equating to a 57% energy cost savings for the store.
Georgia Power issues first green bond for $742 million
Georgia Power announced Feb. 26 that it issued its first sustainability bond for $742 million, representing the first sustainability bond for a domestic utility in the United States.
City of Madison receives energy-efficiency grant
The U.S. Department of Energy announced that it will give Dane County and the City of Madison, Wisconsin a nearly $1 million grant to make energy efficiency improvements at its shared facilities.
Hershey sets goals to reduce environmental footprint by 2030
The Hershey Company announced new commitments on March 1 to advance its environmental progress and contribute to global climate action.
State of Energy Management 2020 Report
The 2nd annual State of Energy Management Report from BuildingOS offers research and insights to help you optimize building performance and make well-informed decisions as your organization continues reaching its energy goals. This report presents survey results as well as a look at five emerging trends for 2021.
Equinix launches €1.1B green bond for sustainability projects
Equinix announced Feb. 25 that it priced its second green bond offering for €1.1 billion to go toward advancing its sustainability initiatives and reducing its environmental impact.
EU plans largest carbon-free steel plant to be built in Sweden
EIT InnoEnergy announced Feb. 23 that its H2 Green Steel Initiative will be leading the construction of the world’s first large-scale carbon-free steel plant in Sweden using green hydrogen.
UBS Arena to deploy 1,000 EV charging stations
UBS Arena, the home of the New York Islanders hockey team, announced on Feb. 25 that it plans to deploy 1,000 EV charging stations to become one of the largest charging sites in the United States.
Weekend reads: Harnessing solar power from space; The US's future in the Paris Agreement
It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.
Smart Energy Voices Podcast - Episode 24: Inspiring Diversity in Energy with Telisa Toliver
The wake-up call came a few years ago when the Wall Street Journal ranked energy at 10 out of 11 fields in a survey on diversity in businesses. Since then, Smart Energy Decisions has worked to raise the profile of this issue with its series “Inspiring Diversity in Energy.” This edition features a discussion with Telisa Toliver, General Manager of Renewable Power for Chevron. Telisa has almost 30 years of experience in the energy industry and has first-hand knowledge about the improvements necessary to move the industry to the next level. Listen as Telisa shares her insight into inspiring diversity in energy.
How a Focus on ESG Led to a Bank’s Carbon Neutrality Achievement
Public companies have a responsibility to deliver long-term sustainable value, but the definition of that value has evolved beyond a return on investments for institutional and individual investors. In this column, Stacie Haas explains how Fifth Third Bank became the first regional commercial bank to achieve carbon neutrality, an achievement that wouldn’t have been possible without a strategic focus on ESG.
University of Maryland launches biogas project in Nigeria
The University of Maryland announced on Feb. 25 that it is participating in a collaborative research and extension project concerning biogas in Nigeria.
Southern California school district electrifies bus fleets
Ocean View School District in Oxnard, California announced on Feb. 25 that it has included four electric busses and power chargers to deliver reliable, clean transportation and save thousands of dollars by avoiding time-of-use rate charges.
The City of Kyoto to install Japan’s first pure electric bus loop line
The City of Kyoto, Japan plans to electrify buses on its famous sightseeing line as part of a five-year demonstration operation to further promote pure electric public transportation in an effort to achieve the country’s carbon neutrality goal by 2050.
Etsy pledges net-zero carbon emissions by 2030
Etsy announced on Feb. 24 that it is deepening its commitment to a sustainable future with a new goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.
Wells Fargo surpasses $10 billion in RE tax-equity investments
Wells Fargo Renewable Energy & Environmental Finance (REEF) announced on Feb. 25 that it has surpassed $10 billion in tax-equity investments in the wind, solar and fuel cell industries.
Montgomery County Public Schools procures nation’s largest fleet of electric school buses
Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education announced on Feb. 25 that it approved a contract to convert its school bus fleet to all-electric, starting with 326 buses over the next four years.
Energy Cost & Control: DER Survey Insights, Part 1
As the U.S. energy landscape continues to undergo a transformational shift, how and where power is generated has emerged as a key driver in the transition. In Part 1 of this series from NRG based on results of the 2020 State of Distributed Energy Resources study conducted by Smart Energy Decisions, NRG looks at drivers and challengers among organizations who are currently deploying or considering the deployment of DERs - as well as ways to overcome those challenges.
University of Nebraska Lincoln expands biodigester program
University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) announced on Feb. 24 that it is taking additional steps toward increasing its sustainability by ordering two more biodigesters for its dining halls.
