Commercial | Page 187

This report details recent energy efficiency successes from a growing number of manufacturing organizations — including big corporations like 3M, Celanese, General Mills, General Motors and Procter & Gamble — within the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Plants program.

Indicative of increasing interest from both large and small businesses in community solar, NRG Energy Inc. on Sept. 27 announced plans for five such installations in Minnesota alongside subscription agreements signed by more than 1,000 residents and businesses including U.S. Bank, Land O'Lakes, Macy's and Ecolab.

The U.S. DOE has launched a new program within the Better Buildings Initiative aimed at helping commercial building reduce their energy use with Macy's, Wendy's, Whole Foods and 15 other organizations as partners.

Energy efficiency software provider EnerNOC on Sept. 23 announced a restructuring of its subscription-based energy information systems business that will result in a 15% reduction in the company's global workforce.

Kick back with these must-read energy stories from around the web.

Financing has been obtained for Colorado's first Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, or C-PACE, project; the associated energy upgrades to a commercial and industrial property include a 100 kW rooftop solar array and LED lighting.

Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd., generally known as Swiss Re, on Sept. 21 announced plans to build and operate its own solar power plant at the company's U.S. headquarters in Armonk, N.Y.

Electricity regulators in a small Minnesota city are taking novel approach to clean energy planning, according to the local newspaper.

Bank of America has announced a new set of environmental goals, including a commitment to powering its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2020 and reducing its energy use by 40%.

Regulators in Washington state have adopted a new rule requiring businesses with large carbon emissions to cap and gradually reduce them over time.