EPA verifies Exelon greenhouse gas emissions reduction
Thirty-five percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by Exelon, compared to its 2001 levels, translates to a decrease of nearly 6 million metric tons in carbon emissions.
By Control Engineering Staff -- Control Engineering, 4/15/2009
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| Learn more about Exelon's low-carbon roadmap. (PDF) |
Chicago – Exelon announced that, as of the end of 2008, it had reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 35% from 2001 levels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently verified Exelon's reduction of nearly 6 million metric tons in carbon emissions -- an amount equal to the annual emissions of approximately 1 million passenger vehicles. Stantec, an independent third-party provider of environmental consulting services, also verified the reduction.
Exelon's GHG emissions reduction not only exceeded its voluntary EPA Climate Leaders program goal of 8%, but also shows significant progress on the company's carbon reduction strategy, Exelon 2020: A Low-Carbon Roadmap. Exelon 2020 sets a goal of reducing, offsetting or displacing more than 15 million metric tons of GHG emissions per year by 2020. This is more than the company's carbon footprint in 2001, its first full year of operation. Exelon 2020 is the natural evolution of the company's early climate change initiatives and expands the reach of its emissions reduction programs beyond the Exelon family of companies to its customers, communities, suppliers and the markets it serves.
Consistent with its cost-efficient approach, Exelon initially focused on its operations to achieve most of its early GHG reductions, including:
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Retiring less efficient and higher-emitting fossil fuel power plants in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Texas;
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Reducing leakage of GHGs, including sulfur hexafluoride, from its electricity transmission and distribution systems and natural gas delivery systems;
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Increasing energy efficiency in its buildings; and
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Increasing the fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleet.
Exelon continues to implement numerous initiatives this year working toward its Exelon 2020 goal. These include: further increasing the energy efficiency of its buildings, power plants, vehicle fleets; continuing to engage its suppliers to create an industry-leading green supply chain; procuring renewable energy to offset a portion of Exelon's energy consumption; and expanding customer energy-efficiency programs offered by Exelon's energy delivery subsidiaries, ComEd and PECO, including Smart Grid pilot programs. Exelon also plans to continue to increase the output of its nuclear power plants through uprates to offer more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace.
– Edited by David Greenfield, editorial director
Control Engineering News Desk
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