“This is a huge honor and we are proud to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” said Jessica Prata, Assistant Vice President for the Office of Sustainability. “At Columbia, we are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and act as a leader in sustainability.”
By moving the needle in the voluntary green power market, Columbia University and other Green Power Partners are helping to reduce the negative health impacts of air emissions including those related to ozone, fine particles, acid rain, and regional haze. Together, Green Power Partners are collectively using more green power annually than the electricity consumed by Montana and Utah combined.
According to the U.S. EPA, Columbia University’s green power use of about 270,897,887 kWh is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 25,000 average American homes annually.
“Using green power helps our community lower its emissions footprint, while also sending a message to others across the country that green power is an affordable, accessible choice,” said Gerry McGillian, Vice President for Operations at Columbia University. “It’s a pillar of Columbia’s sustainability plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and we take that very seriously.”
About Columbia University
As of 2018, Columbia has reached 100 percent reported zero emissions renewable electricity for the Morningside, Manhattanville, Irving Medical Center, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Nevis, and Baker Athletics Complex campuses. The university advanced its strategy for clean, renewable energy with a purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs) for off-site wind generation, continued use of hydropower, and new investment in solar power.
Columbia’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through renewable energy supports the goals laid out in the university’s Sustainability Plan.
About EPA’s Green Power Partnership
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that helps increase green power use among U.S. organizations to advance the American market for green power and development of those sources as a way to reduce air pollution and other environmental impacts associated with electricity use. The Partnership currently has almost 1,500 Partners voluntarily using more than 60 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies; small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit www.epa.gov/greenpower.
