Delaware government ranks No. 56 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Top 100 list of the largest green power users from the Green Power Partnership.
No. 1 was technology and semiconductor giant Intel.
Delaware is using nearly 122 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which represents 40 percent of its total power needs. The state’s choice to use green power is helping to advance the green power market and support clean, renewable energy alternatives, according to a release from the state.
The ranking will not be universally praised, due to the state’s high electric rates. The rates have been blamed for the lack of growth in manufacturing.
There have also been questions about the purchases of wind power, which is generated out of state and has little economic impact on the state.
At the same time, however, costs of green power have declined.
“We all have a responsibility to protect our environment and preserve our natural resources for future generations and we’re committed to leading that effort right here in Delaware,” said Gov. Jack Markell. “Our significant and growing use of clean power shows that this energy source is practical and affordable, and also supports job creation and economic growth.”
According to the U.S. EPA, The State of Delaware’s green power use of nearly 122 million kWh is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 11,000 average American homes annually.
As defined by EPA, Green power is zero-emissions electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and low-impact hydro. Using green power helps build demand for the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and helps users reduce their carbon footprints.
As a result of Governor Markell’s Executive Order 18, Delaware has steadily increased the amount of green power used at state facilities.
Through a partnership to aggregate the purchase of state agency electricity with other public entities such as local governments, schools and higher education, the state increased the amount of green power purchased to 40 percent of the total electricity used by state agencies in the Delmarva Power service territory while achieving competitive pricing.
This spring the State of Delaware awarded a three-year electricity supply contract to Talen Energy Marketing, LLC through a competitive bid process facilitated by Affinity Energy Management.
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to use green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,400 Partner organizations voluntarily using billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually.
Partners include Fortune 500 companies; small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.
