Sourcing Renewables | Page 228

Kick back with these must-read energy stories from around the web.

Big companies, including Amazon, DuPont and Unilever, along with utilities and renewable energy suppliers, are urging members of the European Union's energy council to set a renewable energy target of at least 35% and lift barriers to corporate PPAs.

Global furniture maker and design company Steelcase Inc. has passed a major milestone toward its energy and environmental goals this year: Its global energy use is 20% lower than it was just seven years ago.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, known as BART, recently executed two power purchase agreements for electricity that will propel the fifth-largest rapid transit system in the U.S. far beyond its goal of getting 50% of its energy from renewable sources.

Among a wide range of corporate social responsibility goals outlined in Kraft Heinz's inaugural corporate social responsibility report, the company outlined plans to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 5.1% and implement a series of onsite renewable energy projects.

The deadline for entries for the inaugural Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Awards has been extended and will run through Dec. 22. 

The growth in the renewables industry and the push for corporate sustainability has led to a huge range of PPA options in terms of, amongst other factors, type, structure, pricing and duration. This column from Helen Wallace-Fisher of Accenture outlines a simple matrix that can be used to help corporations design a framework for finding power purchase agreements that best suit its needs.

Already working as a partner to numerous corporations that have made bold sustainability goals over the past few years, Schneider Electric on Dec. 11 pledged to source 100% renewable energy for its own operations and double its energy productivity by 2030.

Duke Energy Corp. on Dec. 6 announced it has acquired full control of commercial solar developer REC Solar, and aims to become a "one-stop entity" for corporations looking for renewables.

Data center, colocation and interconnection solutions company Digital Realty announced two new long-term agreements to source approximately 324,000 additional MWh of renewable energy annually for its Chicago and Ashburn, Va., data center properties and mark an expansion of its sustainability initiatives and customer offerings.