The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its 18th annual Green Power Leadership Awards, recognizing organizations, programs and individuals that significantly advance the development of the nation’s green power sources.

The winners for each of the three award categories are as follows:

Green Power Partner of the Year

• Microsoft Corp. (Redmond, Wash.) increased its green power use by 36% in the past year and is on track to reach its goal to increase the number of data centers powered by local, directly connected renewable generation facilities up to 50% by the end of 2018.

Direct Project Engagement

• Jackson Family Wines (Santa Rosa, Calif.) procures nearly 37 million kWh of green power, 9 million of which is on-site solar generation, for 100% of its annual electricity usage.
• Michigan State University (East Lansing, Mich.) hosts the largest solar photovoltaic carport system in the U.S. through a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) and operates an anaerobic digestion system that turns dairy farm and dining hall food waste into renewable energy.
• The Procter & Gamble Co. (Cincinnati) procures 743 million kWh of green power annually by using multiple supply options, including an on-site biomass PPA, a financial wind PPA, wind renewable energy certificate (REC) contracts, and on-site solar generation.
• T-Mobile US Inc. (Bellevue, Wash.) has committed to 100% green power (by 2021) and signed a financial wind PPA for 625 million kWh annually ‒ the largest wind power investment to date made by a wireless company.
• University of California (Oakland, Calif.) has increased its voluntary green power use by 40% system-wide; completed 12 new on-site solar projects; hosts more than 40 MW of on-site solar capacity with photovoltaic systems at every campus; and has a goal to be the first major research university system to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.

Excellence in Green Power Use

• Anheuser-Busch Cos. LLC (St. Louis) procures more than 727 million kWh of green power for 55% of its annual electricity use, which includes a 15-year financial PPA with a wind farm that generates nearly 603 million kWh annually.
• Equinix Inc. (Redwood City, Calif.) has committed to a goal of 100% renewable energy use across its global footprint and achieved a 42% green power use growth rate year-over-year.
• Google Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) has expanded its green power procurement to 53% of its electric load in the U.S. by using various green power products and supply types, including on-site landfill gas and long-term PPAs.
• Starbucks Coffee Co. (Seattle) has increased its green power use by more than 81 million kWh last year and more than 474 million kWh since 2014.

“The 2018 Green Power Leadership Award winners have proven real leadership, demonstrating to American businesses that, through their investments, they can together not only grow America’s renewable energy market, but also reduce air emissions and protect the environment,” says Bill Wehrum, the EPA’s assistant administrator for air and radiation.

In response to the company’s award, Ingrid De Ryck, vice president of procurement and sustainability at Anheuser-Busch, states, “Sustainability is fundamental to the way we operate. It is not just part of our business, but it is our business. We strive to build a better world across all areas of our business and throughout our value chain and are thrilled to have these efforts recognized by the EPA as part of their nationwide Green Power Leadership Awards.”

Anheuser-Busch has committed to sourcing 100% of all purchased electricity from renewable energy by 2025.

“We are more than halfway to achieving our 2025 goal of securing 100 percent of purchased electricity from renewable sources,” adds De Ryck. “Helping to grow the renewable electricity market is not only good for the environment, it’s a strategic business move – a healthy environment is crucial to the brewing process. We’ve been a committed steward of the environment for the past 165 years and look forward to continuing to lead by example for the next 165 years and beyond.”