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The Bush Administration has asked the government to be the first
to conserve energy. These purchases represent a creative and
innovative approach to help solve our nation's energy crisis, while
achieving tremendous environmental benefits and charting the way
for the emerging green power market.
—Christine Todd Whitman, EPA Administrator,
speaking about EPA's most recent green power purchase
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Administration and Resources
Management (3204R)
Sustainable Facilities Practices Branch
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20460
EPA202-F-01-001
December 2001
www.epa.gov
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POWER:
Fueling EPA's Mission With Renewable Energy
Through a combination of procurement methods, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is intensifying the federal
government's demand for "green" power, or energy derived from renewable sources. Since July 1999, when EPA's Richmond,
California, laboratory became the first federal building to receive all of its electricity from renewable sources, other agencies
such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) have worked with EPA to
procure renewable energy for their power needs. Since its first green power purchase, EPA has added electricity from 100
percent renewable sources at four more labs and will continue to buy green power at its facilities nationwide.
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Also known as renewable energy, green power has been used
throughout history and encompasses a variety of energy sources
that are naturally replenished, including the following:
energy uses the sun to produce
electricity either directly (using photo-
voltaic cells to capture the sun's rays) or
indirectly (solar thermal collectors use the
sun's heat to generate steam, which drives
turbines that make electricity).
Wind generates electricity by moving
windmills that drive turbines.
generates electricity from
burning waste wood, other plant material,
or landfill gas to create heat and steam,
which drives turbines.
draws on the heat of
the Earth's interior to produce steam that
drives electric turbines.
generates electricity through
small installations, which use running or
falling water to drive turbines.
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Electricity generated using fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas) has
been a mainstay of our nations power supply for more than a century. Large
hydroelectric dams have been used for many years and have increasingly
contributed to our energy supply since the Great Depression, and nuclear
reactors have been a source of electricity since the 1950s. All of these have
contributed to a stable energy supply nationwide.
As our reliance on electricity has grown, people have become increasingly
concerned about the environmental and resource implications of relying
solely on non-renewable means to generate power. For example, concerns
have been raised about carbon dioxide (CO 2), sulfur dioxide (SG^), and nitro-
gen oxide (NOx)—emissions created from fossil fuel combustion—because
of heightened interest in global climate change, acid rain, and smog.
Over the past several years, investments have been made in improving
the environmental performance of traditional energy technologies. At the
same time, the United States has made significant investments in ways to
produce electricity from renewable resources. Fostering renewable ener-
gy, combined with the improvements in traditional power generation,
benefits the environment while expanding the diversity and capacity of
the nation's energy supply.
Re
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EPA and
Restructuring of the electric utility industry offers the federal gov-
ernment the opportunity to purchase energy from more renewable
sources and reduce the environmental impact of its electricity con-
sumption. Since EPA's mission is to protect human health and the
environment, the Agency believes it should lead the federal govern-
ment's charge to purchase renewable energy. And because many of
EPA's facilities are laboratories, which are large power consumers,
these renewable energy purchases accomplish several related goals:
Leading by Example. EPA's green power
purchases are helping to develop a buying
process that can be duplicated across the
country in other federal agencies and facili-
ties. With each new procurement, EPA is pro-
viding information and experience that
make future renewable power purchases
simpler for other federal agencies.
Raising Consumer Awareness. People are
becoming more aware of the options for
purchasing power. Green power is increas-
ingly available nationwide through green
power marketers, utility green pricing pro-
grams, on-site renewable energy genera-
tion, and trading in renewable energy
certificates, also known as green tags. EPA
hopes its efforts can help energy con-
sumers of all sizes make informed decisions
about a vital service.
Expanding the Renewable Market. By
purchasing green power, EPA helps the
renewable energy market develop new
renewable resources, lower technology
A
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Natural Match
costs, boost utilization, and strengthen the
nation's long-term energy security. EPA's
green power strategy encourages the use of
local or regional sources of renewable energy
wherever possible, and regu/resthat a per-
centage of the energy in each purchase come
from newly constructed generation sources.
• Reducing Greenhouse Gases. EPA's renew-
able energy purchases advance the principles
outlined in Executive Order 13123,"Greening
the Government Through Efficient Energy
Management," which mandates that federal
agencies reduce greenhouse gas emissions
30 percent by 2010 compared to 1990 emis-
sions levels.
• Partnering for Progress. EPA is a founding
partner in the Green Power Partnership, a vol-
untary program launched by EPA's Climate
Protection Partnerships Division in 2001.
Partners in the program commit to procuring
a percentage of their electricity from green
power sources. In return, EPA provides techni-
cal assistance and recognition.
A Growing Presence for
Green
EPA's use of green power has been growing since
May 1999.The Agency requires more than 259
million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per
year for nearly nine million square feet of office
and laboratory space. By the end of 2001, the
Agency expects to be receiving approximately
23.8 million kWh of energy from renewable
sources in five of its laboratories. EPA's use of
green power will therefore be more than nine
percent of its total electricity consumption.
EPA Facilities - Offices and Laboratories
Non-Renewable
90.83 percent
• Gross Square Feet: 8,900,000 sq. ft.
• FY2001 electricity consumption
(estimated): 259,674,670 kWh
• FY2001 electricity from renewables
(estimated): 23,807,204 kWh*
'Assumes 100 percent green power purchases
at five EPA laboratories-Richmond, California;
Manchester, Washington; Golden, Colorado;
Chelmsford, Massachusetts; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ratio of purchased renewable electric energy to
total purchased electric energy: 9.17 percent
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Leveraging Federal
Buying!
The cost of green power can be higher than tra-
ditional power. To offset these costs, EPA is
implementing a series of energy-efficient and
cost-saving measures. EPA views its green power
purchases as an investment in the future.
Combined with other federal agencies, its
efforts can spur demand for renewable energy
and help expand the market.This, in turn, will
lead to lower technology costs, greater utiliza-
tion, and long-term diversity of energy sources
for the nation as a whole.
In addition, by issuing requests for proposals
(RFPs) for green power, EPA encourages suppli-
ers to enter the green power market. Since RFPs
include requirements for a percentage of the
power purchased to be generated from new
renewable sources, EPA is further encouraging
the expansion of renewable energy capacity.
Green power is delivered over the same wires
owned and maintained by the local utilities that
deliver standard electric power. In deregulated
markets, the utility company typically continues
its energy distribution services and maintains
the power lines. Since power is still distributed
over the same system, switching providers does
not affect the quality or reliability of electricity.
Over the past two years, EPA has collaborated
with GSA and DOE's National Renewable Energy
Laboratory to develop procurement strategies
and policies that will benefit other federal agen-
cies, as well as the renewable energy industry.
Progress has been made to begin leveraging
the federal government's buying power to cre-
ate demand for green power. In addition,
because of the federal government's interest in
renewable energy credits—or green tags—
federal procurements have become a means of
supporting development of innovative new
mechanisms for supplying renewable energy
into the electrical grid.
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Success
Stories
Over the past two years, EPA has increased its renewable energy purchasing power with
contracts in five facilities.The Agency's use of green power at its laboratories in Richmond,
California; Golden, Colorado; Manchester, Washington; Chelmsford, Massachusetts; and
Cincinnati, Ohio, will help open up the market for renewable technologies and demonstrate
how the federal government's buying power can help reduce pollution.
Richmond, California
Since July 1999, EPA has been purchasing 100 percent green power from the Sacramento
Municipal Utility District (SMUD) for its laboratory in Richmond, California.The laboratory uses 1.9
million kWh of electricity annually, enough to power 181 households.To ensure the power for this
major purchase was truly from renewable sources, EPA required SMUD to obtain "Green-e" certifi-
cation. Initially, SMUD provided 40 percent of the energy from landfill gas and 60 percent from
geothermal sources, but since fall 1999,100 percent has come from landfill gas.
kWh:1,898,362 (FY 2000)
* Emissions calculated using state average
factors from E-GRID2000
" A portion of these emissions reductions
was achieved through control technologies
installed as part of the landfill gas project.
Estimated Emissions Avoided, 2001:*
C02: 907,398 Ibs.
S02: 266 Ibs.
NOX: 702 Ibs."
Certified Green
Wherever the program is available, EPA uses the Green-e Renewable Electricity Certification Program
to verify that the power it purchases is from renewable sources. Green-e, operated by the Center for
Resource Solutions in San Francisco, is the nation's first voluntary certification and verification pro-
gram for green electricity products. Through annual audits, Green-e certifies power distributers are
providing the correct amount of green power from the appropriate source(s).
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SUCCESS STORY
Golden, Colorado
EPA Region 8 moved into a GSA-leased, 47,800-square-foot labora-
tory in Golden, Colorado, in summer 1999 and started purchasing
15 percent renewable electricity that fall from Xcel (formerly Public
Service Company of Colorado or PSCO), an investor-owned utility.
In October 2000, that was increased to 100 percent green power.
The Golden lab consumes approximately 2 million kWh of electricity annually and purchases
"blocks" of wind power from the Xcel WindSource program, which offers consumers the option of
purchasing up to 100 percent wind power through its green pricing program.The WindSource
Ponnequin Wind Facility on the Colorado-Wyoming border consists of 29 large wind turbines that
supply 20 megawatts of power to Colorado residents.
Since Colorado is still a fully regulated market, EPA procured the green power through a GSA
area-wide contract. Xcel charges a premium for wind power. EPA makes up a portion of the cost
of this premium through a natural gas supply contract with GSA. EPA also plans to install a tran-
spired solar collector on the south wall of the facility's hazardous materials building, which will
conserve energy through a renewable technology.
kWh:1,985,832 (FY 2000)
* Emissions calculated using state
average factors from E-GRID2000.
Estimated Emissions Avoided, 2001:*
C02: 4,168,897 Ibs.
S02: 10,207 Ibs.
NOX: 8,380 Ibs.
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SUCCESS STORY
Manchester, Washington
EPA's Region 10 laboratory, already using power generated by an
onsite solar cell array, procured 100 percent renewable wind power
in part through a demonstration grant agreement with the
Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEE). Working with the
Bonneville Power Administration, BEE is developing a 700-kilowatt
wind turbine that will supply the Manchester lab with approxi-
mately 2.1 million kWh per year of electricity. Construction of the turbine is expected to be com-
pleted by the end of 2001.
Washington has not deregulated its electric utility industry, so the electricity from the wind tur-
bine will be sold into the power grid as "generic" electricity and will be available to everyone at
the going rate on the regional grid. BEE, an independent non-profit organization promoting
renewable energy, will purchase "green tags" from BPA. These tags, which represent the
environmental benefits of wind power over traditional energy sources, are also known as renew-
able energy credits.
kWh: 2,128,002 (FY 2000)
* Emissions calculated using regional
average factors from E-GRID2000.
Estimated Emissions Avoided, 2001:*
C02: 2,130,236 Ibs.
S02: 4,064 Ibs.
NOX: 3,979 Ibs.
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SUCCESS STORY
Cincinnati, Ohio
As its latest green power purchase, EPA is negotiating a 100 per-
cent renewable energy credit contract for three of its facilities in
Cincinnati, Ohio, with Community Energy, Inc., a renewable energy
marketing company.The EPA facilities have committed to purchase
more than 15 million kWh of renewable energy credits annually for
three years, with a three-year option to renew.
Exelon Community Energy Wind Farm at Mill Run
Community Energy will supply 778,000 kWh per year of power from a wind farm in Pennsylvania.
Com Ed, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, in partnership with Environmental Resources Trust,
will supply the remainder of the renewable energy contract with electricity generated from land-
fill gas from Illinois.
The 15-megawatt Exelon-Community Energy Wind Farm in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, scheduled to
begin delivering electricity to the regional grid on behalf of EPA beginning in fall 2001, will create
enough renewable energy to power more than 5,700 homes.
kWh: 15,590,968 (FY 2000)
* Emissions calculated using regional
average factors from E-GRID2000.
Estimated Emissions Avoided, 2001:*
C02: 24,481,744 Ibs.
S02: 160,439 Ibs.
NOX: 37,194 Ibs.
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SUCCESS STORY
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
At its New England Regional Laboratory in Chelmsford,
Massachusetts, scheduled for completion in 2001, EPA has signed a
renewable energy credit contract to meet the facility's estimated
2.2 million kWh annual electric consumption with 100 percent
wind power.The wind will come from Green Mountain's Searsburg
wind farm in Vermont and from a new wind power source in New
York.
kWh: 2,204,040 (Est. 2001)
* Emissions calculated using regional
average factors from E-GRID2000.
Estimated Emissions Avoided, 2001:*
C02: 2,251,162 Ibs.
S02: 10,513 Ibs.
NOX: 3,504 Ibs.
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Resources
American Solar Energy Society
American Wind Energy Association
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
E-GRID, a comprehensive source of data on the environ-
mental characteristics of U.S. electrical power generation
U.S. Department of Energy Green Power Network
U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership
Green-e
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Public Service Company of Colorado / Windsource
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&EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Administration and Resource Management
(3204R)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20460
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