Panera Bread on EPA’s list of top green power purchasers

New York City -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Panera Bread’s 35 Maryland locations are on EPA's list of top green power purchasers among retailers.



The company’s green power purchase of more than 11 million kilowatt hours for its 35 Maryland bakery-cafes is equivalent to avoiding the yearly carbon dioxide emissions of nearly 1,400 passenger vehicles or from more than 800 average American homes’ electricity use.



Panera Bread is purchasing enough wind power with renewable electricity certificates (RECs) for 100% of its electricity use. Green power is generated from renewable resources including solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydropower.



"Panera Bread’s Maryland locations are switching from traditional sources of electricity generation to cleaner, renewable energy alternatives,” said EPA’s Mid-Atlantic regional administrator Shawn M. Garvin.



EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,300 partner organizations that are voluntarily purchasing green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Purchases of green power also help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and produce no net increase to greenhouse gas emissions.