Green Power Partnership Program Updates Issue 25
Issue 25, October 20, 2014
- Partner Spotlight: Trek Bicycle Corporation
- GPP Staff Changes
- Welcome New Green Power Partners!
- Reminder: Register for the Renewable Energy Markets 2014 Conference
- Top Partner Rankings Update Set; 2014–15 College & University Challenge to Launch
- By the Numbers
- The Solar Foundation Releases Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools
- Past Issues
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Partner Spotlight: Trek Bicycle Corporation
Photo of Trek Bicycle Corporation facility.Founded in 1976, Trek Bicycle Corporation is a major bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor located in Waterloo, Wisconsin.
Q. Why did your organization decide to use green power? What do you see as the benefits of using green power and what role does it play in your organization’s broader business and environmental strategy?
A. In early 2009 we realized that there was an opportunity and a responsibility to lead by example. Powering our operations with 100 percent green power was our first big step in demonstrating our commitment to improving our impact on the environment.
Q. Is your organization currently striving to achieve a green power goal and is there a timeframe? What steps are being taken to reach it?
A. Beginning in February 2009, we have been 100 percent powered by green energy at all domestic Trek-owned locations. Our commitment, moving forward, is to continue this effort as the organization grows.
Q. Describe any innovative green power strategies your organization has implemented or is planning. Do you have any upcoming projects or strategies that relate to your organization’s green power usage?
A. Our most recent efforts have focused on reducing the total amount of electricity required in our operations. We just completed a multi-million dollar upgrade to our painting and curing operations that reduces the HVAC/oven curing electrical load by 90 percent.
Q. What are two or three lessons you’ve learned in making the switch to green power or in increasing your green power use?
A. Switching to green power really resonates with our customers. On the tours that come through, one of the most photographed spots in our facility is the sign on the front door indicating that we use 100 percent green energy. Today’s consumer has become much more focused on the entire life-cycle of products and we work very hard to reduce the natural resources required to manufacture our products.
Q. What advice would you give to other organizations interested in using green power, and is there anything you would do differently? What barriers did you encounter when switching to green power?
A. When a company is just getting started, they need to realize that they are not alone. There are many resources, as well as organizations that paved the way for sustainable business practices. We were fortunate to benchmark other similar businesses and work with our local utility company to identify a solution that is right for us.
GPP Staff Changes
As of October 10, Mollie Lemon, program manager for the Green Power Partnership, has taken on a new role at the EPA and is stepping down from managing the GPP (and she wishes to thank all of our Partners for their commitments to using green power and looks forward to watching the Partnership grow!). James Critchfield, who formerly worked on the program from 2005 to 2008 and has a wealth of experience in the renewable energy space, will manage the program and be the main point of contact for the Partnership. James can be reached at critchfield.james@epa.gov, or 202.343.9442.
Welcome New Green Power Partners!
More than 30 organizations have joined the Green Power Partnership since June 7, 2014 (as of October 13, 2014). The GPP welcomes the organizations below:
- Architecture Services: Tsoi/Kobus & Associates (Mass.)
- Construction & Engineering Services: CH2M Hill (Colo.)
- Consulting Services: Marstel-Day LLC (Va.), WageFiling LLC (Mich.)
- Consumer Products: Cliff Spencer Furniture Maker (Calif.)
- Education (Higher): California State University, Sacramento / Library and The WELL (Calif.), Dartmouth College (N.H.), Knox College (Ill.), Northampton Community College / Monroe Campus (Pa.), Northern Arizona University (Ariz.)
- Education (K-12): Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences (Calif.)
- Government (Local, Municipal): City of Webster Groves (Mo.), Tamalpais Community Services District (Calif.), Town of Ithaca (N.Y.), Ulster County (N.Y.)
- Government (State): California Public Employees’ Retirement System / Headquarters (Calif.)
- Hotels & Lodging: Brickell Lodging LLC (Fl.), Hampton Inn & Suites Washington DC (Md.)
- Industrial Goods & Services: Coilcraft Inc. (Ill.), Shaw Industries Group Inc. / Plant 13 and Plant 15 (Ga.)
- Marketing, Advertising & PR: Stokefire (Va.)
- Non-Profit (NGO): International Association of Theatre and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 22 (D.C.), The Studio Theatre (D.C.), Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (D.C.)
- Restaurants & Cafes: Flying Fish Coffee and Tea (D.C.), Hank’s on the Hill (D.C.), Meridian Pint (D.C.)
- Retail: Keeney’s Office Supply (Wash.)
- Sports Teams & Venues: Michigan International Speedway (Mich.)
- Technology & Telecom: Acer America Corporation (Calif.), salesforce.com (Calif.)
- Wineries & Breweries: Brewery Vivant (Mich.)
Reminder: Register for the Renewable Energy Markets 2014 Conference
Registration for the 2014 Renewable Energy Markets (REM) Conference, taking place in Sacramento, California from December 2-4 and co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now open!
Set in California's state capital, REM 2014 is geared towards attendees who share an interest in and commitment to promoting clean energy. This year's conference will include dozens of sessions covering all aspects of the North American renewable energy markets, including organizations using renewable energy, project development, marketing renewable energy, policy and legal issues, markets and trading, and bundled electricity products.
In addition, EPA and the Center for Resource Solutions will honor recipients with the 2014 Green Power Leadership Awards, presented annually to leaders in the renewable energy industry, during a luncheon on December 3.
Learn more and register for the conference.
Top Partner Rankings Update Set; 2014–15 College & University Challenge to Launch
GPP will update several Top Partner rankings and initiatives on October 27, including the Top Partner rankings, the On-site Renewables Challenge, and the launch of the 2014–15 College & University Challenge.
This will be the final update of the Top Partner Rankings for 2014, which highlight the annual green power use of leading Green Power Partners. You can view the current rankings as of July 2014 on the Top Partner Rankings section of the GPP website. EPA will also post the latest information on the On-site Renewables Challenge, for which the goal is to double the use of on-site green power by Green Power Partners by the end of the decade.
With this update, GPP will also launch the 2014-15 College & University Green Power Challenge. The Challenge recognizes a Champion Green Power Conference, as well as the largest single users within each conference. Take a look at the College & University Green Power Challenge section of the GPP website to learn more about the 2013-14 winners.
Be sure to visit the GPP website on October 27 and check out the latest rankings and information.
By the Numbers
Colleges and universities comprise a good portion of Green Power Partners. As of October 2014, GPP has 130 higher education partners that collectively use nearly 2.7 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power. Together their green power use avoids an estimated 1.8 million metric tons of CO2, which is equivalent to the CO2 emissions from burning 9828 railcars worth of coal.
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.@EPA has 130 higher ed #EPAGreenPower Partners using nearly 2.7 billion kWh of green power. Join them in 2014–15: http://1.usa.gov/ZXZCGN
The Solar Foundation Releases Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools
In September 2014, The Solar Foundation released a comprehensive report on the use of solar energy in schools across the United States. The Solar Foundation’s Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools report is a nationwide assessment of how solar energy helps to power schools in many American communities.
Findings in the report include:
- There are 3,752 K–12 schools in the United States with solar installations, meaning nearly 2.7 million students attend schools with solar energy systems.
- The 3,727 solar photovoltaic systems have a combined capacity of 490 megawatts, and generate roughly 642,000 megawatt-hours of electricity each year, which represents a combined $77.8 million per year in utility bills—an average of almost $21,000 per year per school.
- Of the 125,000 schools in the country, between 40,000 and 72,000 can “go solar” cost-effectively.
- According to the Solar Foundation, if those 72,000 schools were to go solar, the combined electricity generation would avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking approximately 1 million passenger vehicles off the road.
The Solar Foundation’s website also features an interactive map with information on the solar status of every K–12 school in the United States.
Visit The Solar Foundation’s website to learn more and download the full report.
Check out GPP’s Top 30 K–12 Schools list to learn more about schools nationwide that are using green power. The Top 30 K–12 Schools list includes both public and private institutions and represents the largest green power users among K–12 school partners within the Green Power Partnership.
