Walmart, Ahold USA Among EPA’s Top 100 Green Power Users

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Ahold USA have both made impressive showings on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 Green Power Partnership National Top 100 list, coming in at Nos. 9 and 18, respectively. According to EPA’s website, the list “represents the largest green power users within the Green Power Partnership,” a voluntary program that encourages organizations to use green power to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use. 

“The combined green power usage of these Top 100 Partners amount to more than 28 billion kilowatt-hours annually, which represents more than 84 percent of the green power commitments made by all EPA Green Power Partners,” noted the agency on its site.

“Green power is part of the overall responsible retailing commitment by Ahold USA businesses to lessen their environmental impact by generating renewable energy and reducing waste,” said Marissa Nelson, SVP of responsible retailing at the Carlisle, Pa.-based grocer, parent company of retail divisions Stop & Shop, Giant Food of Landover, Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Martin’s and online grocer Peapod. “In recent years, important energy projects have included roof-mounted solar photovoltaic systems, fuel cells and a new green energy facility recently commissioned by Stop & Shop, an anaerobic digester that produces biogas used to power its warehouses.”

EPA cited Walmart’s use of biogas, solar and wind power. The Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer aspires to be supplied by 100 percent renewable energy through the development and installation of new renewable energy projects at scale, driving down the cost of renewable energy, and securing cost-effective, stable renewable energy pricing that meets or beats utility power pricing.

Other companies to make the list were Starbucks (No. 7), Mars Inc. (No. 11), Unilever (No. 15), Keurig Green Mountain Inc. (No. 22), The WhiteWave Foods Co. (No. 77), Colgate-Palmolive Co. (No. 78).

Walmart and Ahold also ranked high on EPA’s Green Power Partnership Top 30 retail list, at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Additional food retailers on the list were Starbucks (No. 2), H-E-B (No. 9), Giant Eagle (No. 11), Price Chopper Supermarkets (No. 16), select Albertsons stores (No. 17), MOM’s Organic Market (No. 20), Chop’t Creative Salad Co. (No. 23), Frontier Natural Products Co-op (No. 24), Outpost Natural Foods (No. 26), New Seasons Market (No. 27), Community Food Co-op (No. 28) and Wheatsville Co-op (No. 29).