EPA Launches Green Power Community Challenge

Be Recognized for the Renewable Energy Efforts in Your Community

This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency kicked off a year-long campaign to encourage cities, towns, villages, and Native American tribes to use renewable energy and fight climate change.

To participate in the "Green Power Community Challenge" a local government must join EPA's Green Power Partnership and use green power in amounts that meet the program's purchase requirements; as well as conduct a campaign to encourage local businesses and residents to collectively buy or produce green power.

More than 30 cities and towns have become green power partners, including communities served by CPS Energy, Emerald PUD, Puget Sound Energy, City of Palo Alto Utilities and WPPI Energy. Collectively, Green Power Communities are buying more than 900 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) from the electricity use of nearly 80,000 average American homes.

Communities that sign onto the challenge will compete to see which one can use the most green power and which one can achieve the highest green power percentage of total electricity use. There will be a separate award for each category with national recognition and special attention from EPA. The winners will be announced in September 2011.

EPA will also provide technical assistance to help participants increase their green power usage.

Visit EPA for more information on the Green Power Community Challenge>>