by Shane Henson — July 18, 2011—Whole Foods, Intel, and Kohl’s are among the world’s leading corporate procurers of renewable energy, according to new survey released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and commissioned by Vestas Wind Systems/a>, a pioneer in wind energy.
The results were part of a new global “Corporate Renewable Energy Index” (CREX) that creates transparency on the amount of renewable energy used by the world’s largest listed corporations. The CREX makes available for the first time information about the type and amount of energy used by corporations, providing insight that can be used to inform consumers about climate-friendly purchasing decisions.
The results of the CREX are based on surveys conducted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance of the world’s 1,000 largest corporations by market capitalization, which is reportedly the first-ever study of global corporate renewable energy procurement. Among almost 1,000 companies surveyed, more than 102 responded with 2010 figures, resulting in 176 companies included for combined 2009 and 2010. The CREX covers total energy consumption as well as renewable energy as a share of total energy consumption, listing absolute figures and relative percentages of corporate renewable energy consumption for electricity.
The index also includes how corporations procure renewable energy, such as through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), green pricing, carbon offsets, and direct investments. The renewable energy technology breakdown covers geothermal, solar, wind, hydro, waste energy, and national blend.
Chip maker Intel procured 1,493GWh of renewable energy in 2010, highest among all companies disclosing data. Kohl’s ranks highest in terms of renewable procurement on a percentage basis, with 100.4% of its electricity coming from renewable energy. Natural and organic foods retailer Whole Foods Market tops the ranking for wind-specific procurement, with all of its electricity consumption coming from this technology.
