Epa Buys Wind Power For Western Regional Office, Lab
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is buying renewable energy certificates for its Denver Regional office and Regional Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. The purchase totals nearly seven million kilowatt-hours per year over the next three years.
EPA Region 8 was one of the first federal facilities to join the Public Service WindSource program, now known as Excel Energy. In October, 2000, EPA contracted with Public Service to purchase 100 percent wind energy for the electricity used at the Regional Lab.
“A guiding principle for EPA’s activities is the use of environmental management systems which have a strong focus on energy conservation and use of renewable energy sources,” said EPA Region 8 Administrator Robbie Roberts.
“The purchase of renewable energy for 100 percent of our electricity needs shows our commitment to our EMS and to environmental improvement. EPA advocates use of renewable energy and now we are walking the talk.”
Aquila, Inc. will provide 6.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year to the grid from the Colorado Green wind farm near Lamar in Prowers County, Colorado.
The 6.8 million kilowatt hours that Region 8 will purchase annually is roughly equivalent to the annual output of one and a half utility scale wind turbines – enough electricity to meet the annual needs of 944 average homes in Colorado.
Or, to put it another way, use of the equivalent amount of energy from coal would require burning 3,400 tons of coal and emitting 7,820 tons of carbon dioxide each year, along with 13.6 tons of sulfur oxides per year, 10.2 tons of nitrogen oxides per year, and 1,360 pounds of particulates per year.
“The EPA takes pride in this procurement as it supports greenhouse gas emission reductions for federal agencies,” said David Lloyd, director of the Facilities Management and Services Division in EPA’s Office of Administration and Resources Management in Washington DC. “The purchase of 100 percent zero-emission green power develops renewable energy markets on a local scale while providing global air quality benefits.”
The purchase is the first in a new partnership of the EPA with the Western Area Power Administration, which managed the solicitation and provided contracting services for this procurement. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory provided technical support.
Today, EPA purchases more than 220 million kilowatt-hours of green power each year for 26 laboratories and offices across the nation. This energy provides nearly 80 percent of the agency’s annual electrical needs.
In addition, Region 8 is building a new headquarters in the downtown Denver area known as Lower Downtown, or LoDo, that is designed to be one of the most energy efficient buildings in Colorado.
Provided by the Environmental News Service.