ING plans to purchase enough wind energy credits to offset its entire U.S. operations. The financial services company announced its intention to become carbon-neutral by the end of the year.
The purchase is equal to 100 percent of its electricity usage at ING locations throughout the U.S. With the commitment, ING joins the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership 100% Club.
ING will buy 70 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy from wind energy marketer and developer Community Energy. The initial two-year purchase will power major sites for its approximately 10,000 U.S.-based employees in Atlanta, Denver, Des Moines, Iowa, El Segundo, Calif., Hartford, Conn., Minneapolis, Minot, N.D., New York, Scottsdale, Ariz., St. Cloud, Minn., and West Chester, Penn., along with nearly 100 smaller regional offices throughout the U.S.
Part of the purchase through Community Energy includes participation in a Connecticut green power program through the local utility. The commitment of one million kilowatt hours of eligible CTCleanEnergyOptions supply entitles ING to designate a free solar energy system to a local community.