Environmental Achievements Abound This Earth Day

Earth Day 2012 is this weekend, and there are several recent renewable energy and energy efficiency achievements in Utah of which Rocky Mountain Power is a part.

The University of Utah was ranked third in the nation in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Challenge, largely due to the University’s support for renewable energy through its Visionary-level partnership with Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky program and 3Degrees. An EPA news release states that the U’s performance in the Green Power Challenge "helped propel the Pac-12 to the top conference in the national ranking."

On a related note, Rocky Mountain Power joined many others on April 16 to celebrate the University of Utah’s major solar energy installations at the new Natural History Museum of Utah’s Rio Tinto Center and the HPER East Building. Two days later, on April 18, Rocky Mountain Power President and CEO Richard Walje attended a reception at Westminster College where he congratulated students, faculty and administrators on completing their third solar energy project in about five years, most recently on the roof of the Emma Eccles Jones Conservatory – Jewett Center for Performing Arts.

All three Westminster solar projects and the Natural History Museum of Utah solar project have received funding from Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky renewable energy program, made possible by our 33,000 participating Blue Sky customers in Utah.

Speaking of Blue Sky, Salt Lake County’s latest purchase of renewable energy through our Blue Sky program is aiding their quest for LEED certification for the Herriman Library and J.L. Sorenson Recreation Center. Read more about it here.

Also this week Rocky Mountain Power was honored with a 2012 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award, recognizing the company’s "work in promoting energy efficient construction and helping to protect the environment through its partnership with ENERGY STAR." Our wattsmart New Homes program in Utah is one of many wattsmart programs and incentives we have to help all types of customers save energy and money.

The award letter states that "over the past 20 years, Americans, with help from ENERGY STAR, have saved nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions."

Additionally, the EPA recently ranked Salt Lake City as one of the Top Cities with the Most ENERGY STAR Certified Buildings in 2011. According to the list (PDF), Salt Lake City was 24th in the nation with 67 ENERGY STAR certified buildings, for a combined annual energy savings of $3.9 million.

At Rocky Mountain Power, protecting and enhancing the environment is at the forefront of our business strategy, including areas such as air quality, habitat protection, renewable energy, recycling and energy efficiency.

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