Energy Management Articles
Grupo Bimbo signs VPPA for U.S. operations
Grupo Bimbo announced on Apr. 4 that it has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for wind energy to power its Bimbo Bakeries USA facilities. The agreement is part of the company’s initiative to become the first baking company
Google reaches 100% RE target
Google confirmed that the company exceeded its goal to purchase enough renewable energy to match all electricity it consumed at its offices and data centers in 2017.
MGP commits to 100% wind power
MGP, a leading U.S. supplier of premium distilled spirits and specialty wheat proteins and starches, announced a major renewable energy initiative with the commitment to source 100% of their electricity needs from renewable wind power.
Apple, IKEA, Tesla among climate policy leaders
Apple, Ikea, Tesla, and Unilever are among the top 20 companies cited in the “A-List of Climate Policy Engagement” report of those leading in strategic lobbying for the ambitions of the Paris Agreement around the world.
Three Best Practices for Launching a Sustainability Program with Business Partners
As businesses look at transitioning to more sustainable practices, a top-down, bottom-up approach to going green can prove beneficial. For a true sustainable approach to business, sustainability must be ensconced within the company’s culture
2018 Energy Star Award winners announced
The 2018 Energy Star Awards were announced by the EPA, recognizing a total of 163 winners among businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements.
Citi deal powers QTS data center
Global bank Citi announced a 10-year agreement to supply clean, renewable energy to a QTS Realty Trust data center in Irving, TX. The contract will provide renewable energy for 100% of the 54-acre, 700,000 sq. ft. data center’s power needs.
Weekend reads: Why is Trump angry?; Wireless EV recharging coming soon & more
Kick back with these must-read energy stories from around the web:
Infographic: Walmart's Project Gigaton in China
Walmart is bringing Project Gigaton to China. With the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its China value chain by 50 million metric tons by 2030, the company expects to enroll all of its export and domestic suppliers in China into this emissions reduction program
Va. Supreme Court decision favors renewable energy shopping
The Virginia Supreme Court on Mar. 29 upheld a decision by state regulators that large electricity users seeking all-renewable power can shop for it without regard for a requirement that they give five years’ notice if they want to return to utility service
NHL promotes sustainability achievements
The National Hockey League (NHL) reported a 1-percent reduction of energy consumption and a 2-percent reduction in CO2 emissions as part of its first NHL Green month, celebrating their ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability.
Walmart brings Project Gigaton to China
Walmart announced on Mar. 29 the launch of Project Gigaton in China, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its China value chain by 50 million metric tons by 2030. The company expects to enroll all of its export and domestic suppliers in China
Chula Vista premieres EV fleet and charging stations
The City of Chula Vista, Calif. unveiled a fleet of new electric vehicles and an array of EV charging stations at City Hall. The program was created in a partnership between the city and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) in order to accelerate clean transportation
Infographic & Video: Data Driven—Advancing a sustainable future
The amount of data created doubles every two years, with approximately 2% of the U.S.’s electrical energy going to data centers—more energy than most states use. This rapid growth is creating an expanding energy efficiency gap.
Colorado invests millions in EV charging stations
Colorado air pollution officials finalized a plan to spend a total of $68.7 million on electric and alternative-fuel vehicles as a way to cut car and truck pollution across the state, including $10.3 million specifically for EV charging stations
Decline in cost of renewables hits fossil fuels
The deep decline in the cost of renewables has led to deteriorating economics for generating electricity from fossil fuels, with wind and solar expected to be cheaper than coal by 2023.
FedEx orders Tesla Semi electric trucks
FedEx announced on Mar. 26 that it has placed a reservation for 20 Tesla semi fully-electric trucks. The trucks, scheduled to begin production in 2019 will be operated by FedEx Freight, its less-than-truckload unit.
Microsoft, Salesforce, Switch & GM lead RE Sourcing Forum Program
Executives from Microsoft, Salesforce, Switch and General Motors will be featured speakers at the Spring edition of Smart Energy Decisions’ Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum (RESF) on June 18-20 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.
Nestlé moves closer to GHG, RE goals
Nestlé reported that the company has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by over 30% in the last 10 years and has achieved an overall reduction of 26.5% in manufacturing operations vs. 2010. The company remains on track to achieve their 2030 goal of zero environmental impact in all operations.
Weekend reads: Move over, Tesla; Exploring solar's duck curve & more
It's the weekend! Kick back with these must-read energy stories from around the web:
H5 Data Centers Expands RE with RECs
H5 Data Centers, a national colocation and wholesale data center provider, on Mar. 23 announced the purchase of RECS to offset 100% of the energy consumption at its Cleveland data center.
Research finds utilities ill-prepared for EV demand
As the use of electric vehicles (EV) grows, how and when these zero-emission vehicles are charged will be critical. Yet research from the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) shows that most utilities are only in the very early stages of preparing
Microsoft signs largest U.S. corporate solar PPA
Microsoft Corp. announced on Mar. 21 the purchase of 315 MW of energy from Pleinmont I and II, two new solar projects in Virginia, representing the single largest corporate purchase of solar energy ever in the U.S.
Spending bill rejects Trump’s EPA cuts
A $1.3 trillion spending bill released on Mar. 21 by Congressional leaders rejected deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed by President Trump.
Infographic: UPS powering operations of the future
UPS announced on Mar. 19 that, as part of a consortium, they have deployed a new charging technology in London that overcomes the challenge of simultaneously recharging an entire fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) without the need for the expensive upgrade
AB InBev launches 2025 sustainability goals
AB InBev announced on Mar. 21 a series of sustainability goals for smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging, and climate action, as well as the “100+ Accelerator” to promote local innovations.
McDonald’s sets targets to reduce GHG emissions
McDonald’s announced on Mar. 20 that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to its restaurants and offices by 36% by 2030 from a 2015 base year. The company also committed to a 31% reduction in emissions intensity per metric ton of food and packaging across its supply chain
UPS premiers smart grid EV charging technology
UPS announced on Mar. 19 that, as part of a consortium, they have deployed a new charging technology in London that overcomes the challenge of simultaneously recharging an entire fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) without the need for the expensive upgrade to the power supply grid.
University of Hawaii to reach 100% onsite RE
The University of Hawaii’s Maui College campus will become among the first in the nation to generate 100% percent of its energy from on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) systems coupled with battery storage.
Close collaboration leads to green tariff that works for businesses and utilities
Data centers are a fast-growing source of energy consumption. While today they consume 2% of the electricity in the US, by 2030 that figure is expected to grow to 10%. Switch, a technology infrastructure corporation, wants to ensure this tremendous growth in energy consumption occurs in the most sustainable way
