The City of Oak Ridge has again been designated as a Green Power Community by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, officials said in May 2017. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)
The City of Oak Ridge has again been designated as a Green Power Community by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The city is collectively using more than 32 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 16 percent of the community’s total electricity use, a press release said.
“This is a huge honor, and we are proud to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,†Oak Ridge Electric Department Business Office Manager Marlene Bannon said. “Using green power helps our community become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others across the country that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing climate risk.â€
Green power is zero-emissions electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and low-impact hydropower, the press release said.
“Using green power helps accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and helps users reduce their carbon footprints,” the release said.
Oak Ridge was first recognized as a Green Power Community in 2014, becoming the first in the southeastern United States to receive the designation. City of Oak Ridge Electric Department customers can buy green power through the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Switch program, which gets some of its supply from the nearby Buffalo Mountain wind farm.
Oak Ridge is also systematically changing street lights over to LED bulbs and promoting TVA’s EnergyRight Solutions program to assist residential and commercial customers in decreasing their carbon footprint, the press release said.
The Vis Solis solar array located at Heritage Center inside the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)
The RSI solar array located at Heritage Center inside the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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