Two Fortune 500 companies commit to renewable energy

Two companies are beginning to show significant commitments to renewable energy technology. Dell partnered with a local utility to supply its Oklahoma City campus with 100% wind power. Dell also revealed a new goal of reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions produced in its facilities by 40% by 2015. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), a California utility company, plans to develop 500 MW of solar power over the next five years.

35% of the energy used at the Dell world headquarters currently comes from renewable sources. At other Dell locations—Round Rock, Texas and Twin Falls, Idaho—they use 100% renewable power. In order to meet the 2015 emissions goal, Dell will focus energy efficient efforts in HVAC, lighting retrofits, and power management systems.

PG&E will invest directly in utility-owned photovoltaic generation of 250 MW, as well as partnering with independent solar developers of mid-sized projects that will produce another 250 MW. Although PG&E has not invested directly in green power in more than a decade, the recent addition of the 30% tax credit made the investment easier to make. Located in both northern and central California, the projects will produce enough solar energy power for 150,000 homes.

“According to nationwide data collected by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), as of the end of 2007, more than 50% of all photovoltaic systems in the country were located in PG&E’s service territory,” SEPA Executive Director Julia Hamm said in a statement.

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