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Oak Ridge ranked No. 4 in nation for ‘green power’ sales rate

Posted at 2:34 pm July 2, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Electric Department worker on a utility pole. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge Electric Department worker on a utility pole. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge Electric Department has ranked number four in the nation on a list of Top 10 utility “green power” programs, officials said.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, granted the award to the Oak Ridge Electric Department in recognition of its leadership in voluntary renewable energy programs, a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Electric Department was ranked number four on the NREL list for Top Green Power Sales Rate in 2017, achieving a sales rate of 7.09 percent.

“The City of Oak Ridge Electric Department has made great strides in promoting renewable energy solutions, and CORED customers are active participants in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Switch (GPS) and Green Power Switch Southeastern RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) programs,” the press release said. “These programs allow residential and commercial customers to support the environment through the purchase renewable energy. Both programs are Green-e Energy certified.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: green power, green power programs, green power sales rate, Green Power Switch, Jack Suggs, Marlene Bannon, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Electric Department, Tennessee Valley Authority, Top Green Power Sales Rate, TVA

EPA recognizes Oak Ridge as leading Green Power Community

Posted at 6:47 pm May 12, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

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, 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.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge Tagged With: Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm, carbon footprint, City of Oak Ridge, EnergyRight Solutions, EPA, green power, Green Power Community, Green Power Switch, Marlene Bannon, Oak Ridge Electric Department, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA: Oak Ridge is a Green Power Community of the Year

Posted at 10:03 am December 1, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

ORNL Bethel Valley Solar Array

Construction was completed in 2008 on a 288-foot-long, 51.25 kilowatt solar system (second-largest in Tennessee) that will supply power to the office building that houses researchers associated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s buildings technology programs. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

Oak Ridge has been recognized as a Green Power Community of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Oak Ridge is one of only two cities to receive the award. The other is Medford, Oregon.

Oak Ridge is one of 19 Green Power Partners and four suppliers from across the country receiving Green Leadership Awards given each year by the EPA. Awardees are recognized for their achievements in advancing the nation’s renewable energy market and reducing greenhouse gas emissions fueling climate change, a press release said.

The 2014 Green Power Leadership Awards will be presented on Wednesday, December 3, at the annual Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Sacramento, California. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: climate change, EPA, EPA Green Power Community, Gina McCarthy, Green Leadership Awards, green power, Green Power Community of the Year, Green Power Partnership, green power suppliers, greenhouse gas emissions, Jack Suggs, John Ragan, Medford, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oregon, ORNL, renewable energy, Renewable Energy Markets Conference, Robin Manning, solar power, solar system, Southeast, Sustainable Communities Program, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tom Beehan, TVA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wind turbines

Oak Ridge first EPA green power community in Southeast

Posted at 11:37 am July 15, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

EPA Green Power Community

Oak Ridge has been recognized as the first Green Power Community in the Southeast by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pictured above from left during a Monday night Oak Ridge City Council meeting are Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan; Tennessee Representative John Ragan, vice chair of the House Energy Task Force; Robin Manning, executive vice president of external relations for the Tennessee Valley Authority; Marlene Witt, Oak Ridge business office manager; and Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs.

 

KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Valley Authority has been recognized as a Top 10 utility leader in green power program sales, and Oak Ridge has been designated the first Green Power Community in the Southeast by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

TVA was recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In the first NREL Top 10 ranking in a decade, TVA landed at No. 9 nationally with green power sales of 199,067 megawatt-hours in calendar 2013, thanks to TVA’s Renewable Energy Solutions programs and participating local power companies, a press release said.

Oak Ridge is one of the participating communities, and it received the EPA designation based in part on TVA green power purchases. TVA and Oak Ridge officials had a brief ceremony to celebrate during a Monday night Oak Ridge City Council meeting.

“TVA is proud to be recognized nationally for our strong and growing support of renewable energy,” said Patty West, director of TVA’s Renewable Energy Solutions. “Cost-effective, renewable energy is an important part of TVA’s diverse portfolio of energy-generation sources.”

A key to TVA’s renewable energy sales has been Green Power Switch, or GPS, which TVA launched on Earth Day 2000 with local power companies and members of the environmental community as the first-of-its-kind renewable power purchase program in the Southeast, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Federal, Government, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: biomass conversion, City of Oak Ridge, EPA, GPS, green community, green power, Green Power Community, green power program sales, green power sales, Green Power Switch, Jack Suggs, John Ragan, Marlene Witt, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL, Oak Ridge, Patty West, power companies, renewable energy, Renewable Energy Solutions, Robin Manning, solar, Southeast, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tom Beehan, TVA, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, utility leader, wind

Oak Ridge could become first EPA-designated Green Power community in Southeast

Posted at 2:52 pm April 24, 2014
By City of Oak Ridge 2 Comments

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

The City of Oak Ridge is on the verge of being selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a Green Power Community, the first in the Southeast, a press release said.

The EPA’s Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy renewable energy. To be designated as a Green Power Community, a local government must purchase or produce green power in amounts that meet EPA minimum purchase requirements as determined by community electricity usage.

Green power is defined as electricity generated from renewable resources, such as wind, solar, biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydropower. Oak Ridge Electric Department customers can buy Green-e Energy certified renewable energy through the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Power Switch program.

To qualify, local governments must also initiate a community-wide green power campaign to encourage renewable energy purchases. The City of Oak Ridge, playing off its nickname as the Secret City due to its historical origins, created a campaign called, “The Secret’s Out: Oak Ridge Loves Green Power,” to encourage residents and businesses to buy green power. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: biogas, biomass, Earth Day Festival, electricity, EPA, green power, Green Power Community, Green Power Partnership, Green Power Switch, Green-e Energy, hydropower, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Electric Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, renewable energy, Secret City, solar, Southeast, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wind

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Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING … [Read More...]

Public Notice: Draft Environmental Assessment Available for Lithium Production Facility at Y-12

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING FACILITY AT THE Y-12 … [Read More...]

Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment for the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC) (DOE/EA-2144), Finding of No Significant Impact, and Wetland Statement of Findings

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

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