The EPA just released a list of the top 50 green power purchasers in the United States. The list is led by Intel Corporation, PepsiCo, Kohl’s Department Stores, Dell Inc., Whole Foods Market, The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, U.S. Air Force, Cisco Systems, Inc. and the City of Houston. Are there any lodging companies on the list? Yes, just one. Vail Resorts, Inc. is No. 25 on the list, purchasing more green power than companies such as Sprint Nextel, Lowe's, and Motorola, Inc.
The green power purchases help reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and support the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. Purchase amounts reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced from U.S.-based green power resources. Organizations can meet EPA purchase requirements using any combination of three different product options: (1) renewable energy certificates, (2) on-site generation, and (3) utility green power products.
In the last year, Vail Resorts purchased 151,311,000 kilowatt-hours of wind power, offsetting 100 percent of the company's electricity consumption. Of the top 50 companies listed on the EPA's list, just 16 met 100 percent of their electricity power needs in the past year with the purchase of 100 percent green power.
Congratulations to Vail Resorts for making such a strong commitment to renewable energy. It would be great to see our industry's largest hotel companies on the list in future years. To learn more about Vail Resorts' green programs, go to Green Lodging News and do a search on "Vail Resorts." You can also click here.
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