Whole Foods Market has announced the completion of its 2009 776 million kWh purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs) from wind farms. The RECs are equal to 100% of the company's electricity use in its North American locations. Almost 90% of this year's purchase is helping to fund E.ON Climate & Renewables' (EC&R) recently completed Texas-based Panther Creek wind farm.
‘Support from companies like Whole Foods Market with partners like Renewable Choice Energy creates a valuable revenue stream for us that helps make new wind farms like Panther Creek possible,’ says Dean Tuel, vice president of Energy Marketing for E.ON Climate & Renewables North America.
Nearly 90% of the RECs Whole Foods Market has purchased for 2009 came from a Big Spring, Texas-based wind farm, which is located 50 miles east of Midland. The project is built and operated by EC&R North America, a renewable energy developer headquartered in Chicago.
The remaining RECs come from a number of different wind farms in locations across the U.S. and Canada. The total purchase was made in partnership with Boulder, Colo.-based Renewable Choice Energy.
SOURCE: Whole Food Markets
