Giant companies join forces to create a clean energy boom in the United States



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Some of the country's largest technology companies, manufacturers and consumer companies have come together to create a boom in renewable energy purchases across all US companies.

Under the banner of REBA, these pioneers aim to allow tens of thousands of businesses to buy renewable energy in the coming years, expanding the market to around 5,000 aujourd & # 39; hui.

Over the last year, companies have signed a sufficient number of renewable business contracts to support nearly 16 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity in the United States. REBA aims to accelerate this activity and bring the market to 60 gigawatts by 2025.

It is a lot of renewable energy. That's roughly the total solar photovoltaic capacity available in the United States in 2018.

US companies have a major role to play as electricity users in the private and commercial sectors are the main cause of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, said Miranda Ballentine, founding CEO of REBA.

But beyond the first users, few companies have developed the necessary expertise to enter into renewable business contracts.

"Most of these big buyers have never really done anything different from what you and I do, which pays an energy bill," Ballentine said.

REBA will build on the lessons learned by early users of its board, including technology titans such as Google, Facebook and Salesforce, as well as consumer giants such as Disney, Walmart and others. Johnson & Johnson.

The group's goal is to remove barriers to entry by settling contracts, addressing regulatory and policy barriers, testing new cleantech programs, and badisting the public. companies to put in place internal systems facilitating the purchase of clean energy.

Terrell, the energy market strategist at Google, says that the conclusion of a renewable business agreement should be as simple as clicking a button and sending it to the company. 39 renewable energy to a data center. However, it's not as easy today, and that's where companies have a role to play, he says.

Google had long wanted to leverage low-cost solar energy from Georgia to power its Douglas County data center, located outside of Atlanta, but regional markets allowed it. not companies to buy directly from renewable energy from utilities. By partnering with Walmart, Target and Johnson & Johnson, Google worked with the state last year to create a new program allowing companies to buy clean energy. directly from Georgia Power.

The opening of these markets offers businesses another way to achieve ambitious clean energy goals.

A few years ago, General Motors, a member of the REBA Board of Directors, exceeded its 2020 clean energy target by adopting traditional methods such as installing solar panels said Rob Threlkeld, Global Head of Renewable Energy at GM. When GM announced its intention to power 350 sites around the world with 100% renewable energy, agreements with companies on renewable energy have become one of the most pillars of his plan.

Threlkeld sees an opportunity for automakers and other companies with large supply chains to play the role of force multipliers within their industries by giving their networks the means to follow in their footsteps.

"Many of our more advanced members – the Walmarts and Apples and General Motors and J & Js – are actually encouraging or demanding from their suppliers and supplier partners that they engage in this adventure. in the field of clean energy, "he said.

The REBA will launch with around 200 business buyers and 125 developers and renewable energy service providers. The professional group stems from programs supported by non-profit organizations such as the Rocky Mountain Institute, the World Wide Fund for Nature, the World Resources Institute and Business for Social Responsibility.

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