Applied Materials, Inc., the global leader in Nanomanufacturing Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio of innovative equipment, service and software products for the fabrication of semiconductor chips, flat panel displays, solar photovoltaic cells, flexible electronics and energy efficient glass, announced today that it has received a 2009 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize the country's leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of the nation's voluntary green power market. EPA presented Applied Materials with the award at an event held in conjunction with the 2009 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
Applied Materials was one of only three organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for the on-site generation of green power. The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves using on-site renewable energy applications, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) or wind energy projects. Applied Materials is currently generating 3.2 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually in the U.S. using on-site solar power generation at the company's California and Texas facilities. In addition, Applied Materials purchases more than 31 million kWh of green power annually. In total, the company uses enough green power to meet more than 15 percent of its electricity use.
“Purchasing and generating green power are important elements of our long-term commitment to business and global sustainability,” said Bruce Klafter, senior director for Environmental Health and Safety and head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Applied Materials. “Through our solar installations we are demonstrating the ease of integrating clean energy into existing business campuses and proving that solar power is a sound business decision, in addition to being an important choice in combating climate change.”
Applied Materials is purchasing green power in support of EPA's Fortune 500 Green Power Challenge. EPA is challenging Fortune 500 Corporations to collectively exceed 10 billion kilowatt-hours green power purchasing by year end 2009. Applied Materials' purchase ranks No. 26 in the United States.
Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. These resources generate electricity with a net zero increase in carbon dioxide emissions, while offering a superior environmental profile compared to traditional power generation sources. Green power purchases also support the development of new renewable energy generation sources nationwide.
“EPA's Green Power Leadership award winners are raising the bar for green power purchasing,” said Kathleen Hogan, Director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "By using renewable energy, Applied Materials is helping our environment by leading our national transition to clean energy; they are a model for others to follow.”
According to the U.S. EPA, Applied Materials' current green power use of nearly 35 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 5,000 passenger vehicles per year, or the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power more than more than 3,000 average American homes annually.
As a green power purchaser, generator and the world's largest solar equipment manufacturer, Applied Materials is dedicated to growing profitably and sustaining our business in an environmentally and socially responsible manner and is striving to make renewable energy a more meaningful contributor to the global energy supply. The company is aware of the inherent business and social impacts of global climate change, and is fully committed to improving the way people live by achieving sustainability in a clean tech economy — from the products we design, to how we manage our business.