Xcel Energy achieves climate registered status
First utility in its region to measure climate emissions with state-endorsed The Climate Registry
(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) May 19, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA - The Climate Registry (The Registry), a non- profit organization governed and supported by 41 US states and DC, today announced that Xcel Energy is the first utility in its region to measure and third party verify its greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory in accordance with The Registry’s General Reporting Protocol (GRP).
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company that provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies in eight Western and Midwestern states.
“We commend Xcel Energy for leading the way for other utilities to measure their carbon footprints using best-in-class standards for their industry,” said Denise Sheehan, Executive Director of The Registry. “The quality of their carbon data has been recognized by organizations like CERES, and puts Xcel Energy in a very strong position in light of the recent SEC guidance on climate-related disclosure.”
Xcel Energy’s 2008 GHG inventory was third party verified by First Environment, and it is publicly available on The Registry’s website.
“This is a tremendous step in ensuring the highest level of accuracy in the greenhouse gas emissions data we provide our stakeholders,” said Frank Prager, vice president, Environmental Policy and Services for Xcel Energy. “Whatever the future holds for U.S. climate policy, we are better prepared to make decisions and manage the issue knowing that we follow a standard, recognized methodology for measuring our impact.”
The American Wind Energy Association ranks Xcel Energy the nation’s number one wind energy provider, and the Solar Electric Power Association ranks them number five among U.S. utilities for solar capacity. Xcel Energy also offers some of the largest, most successful energy efficiency programs in the country which, in 2009, helped their customers save enough energy to satisfy the electricity needs of more than 80,000 homes and the natural gas needs of more than 15,000 homes for one year.
Xcel Energy was a Founding Member of The Climate Registry.
About The Climate Registry
The Climate Registry is a non-profit organization that operates the only voluntary carbon footprint registry in North America supported by states, provinces, territories and tribes. The Climate Registry helps hundreds of public and private organizations measure, report and reduce their GHG emissions with integrity. For more information see www.theclimateregistry.org
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