Applied Materials says it will purchase 8,220,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually from wind and solar generation sources in California in lieu of energy from nonrenewable sources. The annual amount represents approximately 12 percent of the energy used in the company’s Santa Clara facilities and will reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions in Silicon Valley by more than five percent.

The company says the purchase is a response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fortune 500 Green Power Challenge. Quadrupling an earlier agreement, Applied Materials’ pledge is the largest to date in the Santa Clara Green Power program, according to the company, a 100 percent renewable energy program sponsored by Silicon Valley Power, The City of Santa Clara’s municipal electric utility.

“Through this agreement Applied Materials becomes the top purchaser of renewable energy from Silicon Valley Power and one of the largest in the nation,” said Larry Owens, Division Manager, SVP.