EPA recognizes L’Oreal as top green energy user

L’Oreal USA’s solar projects in Arkansas and Kentucky will help to accelerate the company’s transition to renewable energy, according to a news release. On Friday (May 5), the beauty products company announced its efforts to expand renewable energy use allowed it to join the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership Top 100 list of the largest green power users in the nation.

L’Oreal USA uses more than 86 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually, representing 96% of its total power needs. The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program of the EPA to help increase green power use or zero-emissions electricity from renewable sources, and green power users on the top 100 list use more than 34 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually.

Jay Harf, vice president of environment, health, safety and sustainability for L’Oreal, was proud to receive the recognition from the EPA. “By making the choice to use clean, renewable energy, our organization becomes more sustainable while also sending a message that using green power is a sound business decision and an important tool in reducing one’s carbon footprint in the fight against climate change.”

In October, the company announced large-scale, on-site solar projects for its two manufacturing plants in North Little Rock and Florence, Ky. The projects will be completed in 2017. The projects along with purchased renewable energy certificates allowed the company to achieve 100% renewable electricity for its U.S. manufacturing in 2016.

L’Oreal is also on EPA’s Long-term Green Power Contracts list, which recognizes its 15-year contract to purchase green power. According to the EPA, the company’s green energy use of more than 86 million kilowatt-hours is nearly the annual power consumption of 8,000 average American homes.