Energy Management Articles
Target makes 100% RE, emissions reduction commitments
Already having made big moves into renewable energy — and overtaking Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as the top U.S. corporate solar installer last year —Target Corp. has announced an aggressive new set of climate goals that include tackling supply-chain related emissions.
Amazon's Bezos christens Texas wind farm
In celebration of Amazon's Texas wind farm beginning operations, founder and CEO Jeff Bezos stood atop one of the turbines, christening the project by smashing a bottle of champagne over it.
Office Depot recognizes customers for 'green' spending
As part of a broader effort to encourage its customers to make "greener" business decisions, Office Depot Inc. has recognized a number of them from both the private and public sector that the company believes have taken a forward-looking leadership role in greener purchasing.
LED retrofit slashes vXchnge data center energy use
A year after the completion of a lighting retrofit at a vXchnge data center, the company has reported a reduction in electrical consumption by 244,000 kWh.
Google on track to hit 100% RE with efficiency, offsets
Google has updated its progress — in detail — toward a series of bold environmental initiatives, including plans to hit 100% renewable energy for its global operations by the end of this year.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts onsite grid solar
The newly opened Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, which is in the middle of its inaugural season, has been benefitting from more than 4,000 solar panels installed onsite with help from its utility, Georgia Power.
Smithfield Foods launches environmental division
After setting its first-ever greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, Smithfield Foods Inc. on Oct. 12 announced the launch of a new platform within the company, Smithfield Renewables, with the aim to "unify, lead and accelerate" the company's environmental goals.
Howard University completes LED lighting overhaul
Howard University expects to generate more than $10.5 million in lifetime cost savings from recent energy upgrades that include the LED retrofit.
Weekend reads: Paris to ban gas cars; 'solar tube' heat; coal, nuke bailouts are 'the cost of freedom' & more
Kick back with these must-read energy news stories from around the web.
How do microgrids contribute to the energy transition?
This white paper, presented by Schneider Electric, outlines the role of microgrids as an emerging energy ecosystem that provides practical answers to current energy challenges.
First Solar, Tesla take opposite sides of trade battle
Arizona-based solar modules manufacturer First Solar has taken the side of two financially stressed panel manufacturers that have called for federal tariffs on imported solar modules, putting itself directly opposite the side of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Wynn hotel looks to bundle storage, solar, cogen
A Wynn Resorts hotel and casino in development at Boston Habor is reportedly working with a number of partners on plans to implement an energy storage project that will complement two cogeneration plants, rooftop solar and LED lighting.
Lyft offsets Michigan game day-related emissions
Ride-sharing company Lyft recently partnered up with a carbon offset and renewable energy credit trading company to offset carbon emissions associated with travel for all University of Michigan football games this season.
Chiquita facility installs sun-tracking solar project
At its massive cold storage industrial building in Oxnard, Calif., Chiquita Brands International is benefitting from the recent installation of a 1 MW solar array equipped with technology that allows its panel to "track" the sun's movement to more electricity than traditional panels.
Toyota HQ completes massive onsite solar project
After an upsizing of initial plans for a massive onsite solar project at Toyota Motor North America's new headquarters in Plano, Texas, the installation is complete and the campus has achieved LEED Platinum certification.
Canada calls on industry to improve energy intensity
Canada's government on Oct. 10 challenged the country's industrial manufacturers to improve the energy intensity of their operations by 10% over the next five years.
Taylor Farms completes largest solar project to-date
Earlier this year, Taylor Farms announced the deployment of a unique, cogeneration, wind and solar project at a separate California site.
GM names global facilities, environmental VP
General Motors Co. has appointed Dane Parker as vice president for GM global facilities and environmental, effective immediately. Parker was previously executive director for GM Global Facilities, a position he has held since joining
At Intel, an 'all of the above' approach to clean energy
Talk of an "all of the above" energy policy has been a common refrain among politicians and utility executives for some time. At Intel Corp., however, it has become the unspoken philosophy to adapting to climate change.
'The war on coal is over,' Pruitt says in beginning repeal of EPA's Clean Power Plan
At a speaking event in Kentucky, U.S. EPA director Scott Pruitt on Oct. 9 announced the Trump administration would begin formal proceedings to repeal the Clean Power Plan on Oct. 10.
Microsoft wind PPA paired with storage, trading
Microsoft has announced a unique arrangement through which it will purchase wind energy for its Microsoft Cloud services in Ireland and test the integration of energy storage into the country's grid.
Weekend reads: Amazon energy drones; innovations in grid renewables; ways to cash in on EV boom & more
Kick back with these must-read energy stories from around the web.
Trade dispute bottlenecks US solar purchases
Utilities and corporations are hitting the pause button on the pursuit of solar energy deal as uncertainty around the outcome of a federal trade case on solar modules, Bloomberg News reported Oct. 4.
Massachusetts HS installs massive flow battery project
A private Massachusetts High School is reaping the benefits of a newly installed, 3 MWh energy storage system that is paired with an onsite, utility-scale wind turbine.
5 major corporate buyers headline RES Forum
Energy and sustainability executives from Amazon Web Services, General Motors Co., Intel Corp., Lockheed Martin and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are set to headline the inaugural Smart Energy Decisions Renewable Energy Sourcing Forum this November.
Facebook, Dominion create renewable energy rate
Facebook and Dominion Energy Virginia designed the new rate option, which must be approved by state regulators, to serve Facebook's future data center and other large energy users through the addition of renewable energy sources to the grid.
PACE helps Alterra revive 100-year-old Dallas building
Dallas-based real estate developer Alterra International has been able to secure $23.9 million in PACE financing to transform the energy efficiency and environmental attributes of a century-old building amid its conversion to a mixed-use development.
GM reveals plans for all-electric, zero-emissions future
General Motors Co. rolled out plans Oct. 2 for how it plans to achieve a "zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion" vision for the future in an eventual transition of its fleet to electric vehicles.
Tesla shipping battery packs to Puerto Rico
As Puerto Rico struggles to recover from the devasting impacts of Hurricane Maria, Tesla Inc. is reportedly sending hundreds of its Powerwall battery systems to the island as German storage company Sonnen pledges to build microgrids on the island.
Report: US solar, wind capacity shatters EIA estimates
A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council shows that in 2016, the country's solar energy capacity came in 4,500% higher than predicted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration in 2006.
