Feb. 1, 2011
The Catholic University of America announces today that, for the first time, it appears as No. 13 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Top 20 College and University list of the largest green power purchasers.
CUA is purchasing 43 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 100 percent of the university's electricity use. The university purchases renewable energy credits (RECs) from Hess Energy Marketing. This demonstrates a proactive choice to switch from traditional sources of electricity generation and support cleaner renewable energy alternatives.
"Catholic university is delighted to be recognized for its commitment to being good stewards of the environment," says Brian Alexander, CUA's director of energy and utilities management. "Having RECs for 100 percent of CUA's purchased electricity and Washington, D.C.'s largest solar panel installation are just two initiatives among our sustainability efforts to reduce CUA's carbon footprint."
Today the EPA updated each of its National Top Partner lists, highlighting some of America's largest green power purchasers. Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through Jan. 5, 2011. EPA updates its Top Partner Lists quarterly at www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists .
CUA's purchase of green power also qualifies the university for EPA's Green Power Leadership Club, a distinction given to organizations that have significantly exceeded EPA's minimum purchase requirements. Green Power Leadership Club members must purchase 10 times the partnership's minimum requirement organization-wide.
Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Purchases of green power help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.
According to the U.S. EPA, Catholic University's green power purchase of 43 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 6,000 passenger vehicles per year, or the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of nearly 4,000 average American homes annually.
In addition to purchasing green power, CUA produces up to 340,000 kWh of electricity through solar panels on four university buildings. This power comprises up to 20 percent of the electricity used in those locations. The solar panels at CUA make up the largest solar-energy system in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with purchased electricity use. The partnership currently has more than 1,300 partner organizations voluntarily purchasing billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500 companies; small- and medium-sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit www.epa.gov/greenpower .
"EPA's Green Power partners are tapping into America's growing clean energy market and powering the economy of the future," says EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Investments like these are smart for business, foster growth in the green energy sector, and help protect our health through cleaner air."