Intel Corporation Leaps to Top of the EPA Green Power List

January 30, 2008

Intel Corporation became the largest purchaser of green power in the United States on January 28, when the company committed to buy 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy credits per year. The purchase catapulted Intel to the top of the list of leading U.S. green power purchasers, a list maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Renewable energy credits, or RECs, represent the environmental attributes of renewable power that is sold to wholesale power markets. Intel is buying its RECs from Sterling Planet, and its purchase will support a variety of wind, solar, biomass, and small hydropower facilities. See the Intel press release and press kit.

Intel Corporation's green power purchase is partly in response to a nationwide challenge issued by EPA in December 2006, calling for Fortune 500 corporations to collectively double their green power purchases to more than 5 billion kWh per year. Fifty-three companies stepped up to the challenge and exceeded the goal, buying more than 6 billion kWh of green power annually, enough to power nearly 670,000 average U.S. homes. The purchases will avoid carbon dioxide emissions equal to burning more than 570 million gallons of gasoline. See the EPA Fortune 500 list.

EPA also updated its other green power lists, and on its National Top 25 list, the U.S. Air Force moved back up to the number three spot after more than doubling its annual green power purchases. The Air Force is now buying more than 899 million kWh per year, up from 457.5 million kWh last year. In addition, HSBC North America jumped from 17th place to the 10th spot by more than doubling its green power purchase to 300 million kWh per year. New to the National Top 25 list are two Texas cities—the City of Dallas at number 9 and the City of Houston at number 12—and those cities now lead the Top 10 Local Government list. EPA's Green Power Partnership works with more than 850 partner organizations that are buying more than 13 billion kWh of green power annually. See the EPA press release and Green Power Partnership Web site.