One if the most exciting new installations at the Philadelphia Zoo won’t be anything that the 1,300 resident animals or 1.1 million annual visitors can see, smell, or feel. The 137-year-old zoo—the first and oldest in the United States—will fulfill its mission of conservation, science, and education in a new way for the next two years: It will offset 25 percent of its electricity consumption with power from renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydroelectricity, and biomass/clean waste wood burning power.
The clean energy initiative is the result of an agreement with Houston-based GDF SUEZ Energy North America, which will supply the zoo’s electricity for 24 months, and offset one-quarter of on-site energy consumption with donated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
REC s (pronounced: reks) represent the property rights to the environmental, social and other non-power qualities of renewable electricity generation. As renewable generators produce electricity, they create one REC for every 1000 kilowatt-hours (or 1 megawatt-hour) of electricity placed on the grid. If the physical electricity and the associated RECs are sold to separate buyers, the electricity is no longer considered “renewable” or “green.” The REC product is what conveys the attributes and benefits of the renewable electricity—not the electricity itself.
With the donation of the RECs, which are certified by Green-E— the leading U.S. independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions—the zoo will be able to displace an estimated 3,195,990 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. That’s the equivalent of taking 314 cars off the road!
The zoo is proud of the current program, which is compatible with its conservation mission, and it plans to expand in the use of RECs in the future, in order to become a state-of-the-art renewable energy facility. In fact, even before “green energy” was a part of the lexicon, the Philadelphia Zoo had found ways to significantly reduce its electricity consumption. The Zoo Shop and McNeil Avian Center both depend on geothermal wells to significantly reduce electricity consumption.
A geothermal heat pump creates energy by moving heat to and from the earth, taking advantage of the almost constant temperature underground, which is usually warmer than the air in the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The zoo's current geothermal system pumps water from 500 feet below the ground's surface.
According to Philadelphia Zoo President and CEO Vikram H. Dewan, "We are committed to making environmental responsibility and conservation part of our daily activities. We have instituted a diverse range of programs and practices that help us do our part to reduce global warming and mitigate the effects of climate change on wildlife. Our support of green energy reflects this dedication, and we thank GDF SUEZ Energy Resources for supporting our efforts."
In turn, Robert Wilson, president and CEO of GDF SUEZ Energy Resources commented, “it is an honor to serve America’s first zoo. Its focus on energy efficiency and carbon reductions—a focus that our company shares—has not only raised the environmental bar for zoos across the country, but also has set a standard for eco-friendly practices.” GDF SUEZ Energy Resources is part of one of the world’s largest corporations, providing electricity to over half of America's Fortune 100.
Cheryl Kaften is an accomplished communicator who has written for consumer and corporate audiences. She has worked extensively for MasterCard Worldwide, Philip Morris USA (Altria), and KPMG, and has consulted for Estee Lauder and the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Janice McDuffee
