A growing focus of U.S. companies is to install renewable energy systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Local sources of renewables are driving technology options; photovoltaic arrays to capture solar energy, turbines to harness wind energy, and combined heat and power systems and boilers fueled by biogas and biomass are all deployed by U.S. businesses seeking to lower environmental impact where it supports their goals. Many of the leaders in renewable installations are also hail from the ranks of the Better Buildings and Better Plants programs, as a recent report by SEIA has 6 partners in the top 10 companies by solar capacity (see image to right).
While renewable energy facilities are more visible in residential and utility settings, it can be seen at many of the most vital industries, largest employers, urban centers, and campuses in the United States. A multitude of Better Plants partners use renewable energy to supply heat or power to some of their key plants, and have experienced significant reductions in source energy consumption as a result. As companies look to the future and develop more robust science-based targets to drive their energy and environmental performance goals, expect more U.S. companies and Better Buildings, Better Plants partners to showcase their growing renewable installations within a framework of doing more with less.
Explore additional resources specific to Better Plants partners and connect with the renewables, distributed generation, and microgrids-subject matter expert below.
Subject Matter Expert - Paul Lemar
Paul Lemar has 30 years of experience in engineering, economic, and environmental analysis of energy efficiency technologies and management practices. He is a Technical Account Manager for the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Plants program and has worked with over 25 manufacturing and water/wastewater organizations that are striving to reduce their energy intensity. He directs assessments of CHP, energy efficiency, energy storage, and renewable fuel markets and oversees the development and application of the Distributed Power Economic Rationale Selection (DISPERSE) model. Paul has directed numerous economic feasibility analyses and market studies of onsite power systems, facility energy costs, and energy storage technologies. He is also a noted lecturer and author, and regularly addresses utility, manufacturer, and industrial audiences on topics including combined heat and power, on-site power systems and cogeneration, industrial energy use, efficiency improvement, and new energy technologies. Paul holds a B.S., Mechanical Engineering and an M.B.A., both from the University of Maryland.
You can reach Paul with renewables, distributed generation, and microgrids-related questions at pll@rdcnet.com.