Kohl's tops among retailers on EPA’s green-power purchaser list

Kohl’s Department Stores said Tuesday it has been awarded the top spot in retail on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s quarterly rankings of top green power purchasers in EPA’s Green Power Partnership.

This the second time the retailer has held the top spot.

Kohl’s also ranks third overall and third among Fortune 500 companies in the EPA Partnership, which includes some of America’s largest green power purchasers.

Since the last quarterly rankings were announced in July, Kohl’s has increased its green power purchase by more than 42%. Throughout 2009, Kohl's has purchased more than 851 kWh in renewable energy credits. This purchase is enough to meet 71% of the company’s purchased electricity use, which means that more than 70% of Kohl's energy comes from renewable resources.

According to the EPA, Kohl’s green power purchase of more than 850 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding carbon dioxide emissions of nearly 112,000 passenger vehicles per year, or is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 85,000 average American homes annually.

“Green power purchases are one of the easiest and more important ways we can implement renewable energy sources as we work to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Ken Bonning, Kohl’s executive VP store planning and logistics. “We continue to increase our purchases that are applied companywide, and we hope to reach 100% green power in the coming year. This is just one more way we continue to operate as an environmentally responsible company.”

Kohl’s purchases renewable energy credits in the areas including solar, wind and biomass generation.

Kohl’s is the world’s largest retail host of solar power with 79 active solar locations in six states -- California, Wisconsin, Oregon, Maryland, Connecticut and New Jersey. The solar panels generate 20 to 50% of the store’s electricity, depending on geographic location.