- February 26, 2015
- Posted by: Catalyst
- Category: Business Energy News
Over the past few years the negative effects of CO2 in the atmosphere and global warming have become common topics of discussion, and so has the technology that plays a role in reducing emissions, such as electric vehicles and smart devices in homes and offices that reduce energy consumption.
Computer giant Microsoft has recently been revealed to be number 2 in the Environmental Protection Agency’s top 100 leading green energy purchasers in the United States. According to the EPA, Microsoft purchases nearly 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy per year, which is enough to power the entirety of the company’s operations in the US.
The sources of this green energy range from biogas and biomass, to small-hydro, solar, and wind. This energy is either purchased from companies like Sterling Planet and PNM, or produced on-site, for example, with the company’s own solar panels.
The closest competitors to Microsoft that are also on the EPA’s list include Google at number 4 and Apple at number 6, who purchase 700 million kWh and 600 million kWh per year respectively, adding up to less than Microsoft even when combined.
Clearly the software giant takes climate change seriously and has committed to becoming a carbon-neutral company in the hope that more companies will follow their example.
Microsoft has also reached number 2 on the Fortune 500 and Tech & Telecom lists.