HP joins RE100

US technology company Hewlett Packard (HP) has announced that it will be joining the RE100 initiative, pledging to reach 100% renewable electricity globally. The group has set an initial goal of sourcing 40% of its global electricity usage from renewables by 2020. HP is the latest member of the RE100 campaign, which is led by The Climate Group. HP join companies such as Sky, Bloomberg, BMW and Coco Cola, which also signed up to the initiative this month.  
 

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As part of this new commitment, HP, which currently sources around 13% of its global electricity from renewables, has set a short-term goal of increasing this figure to 40% by 2020.

The RE100 initiative, organised by The Climate Group in collaboration with CDP, calls upon major businesses to source 100% renewable power, although no date has been set for HP’s longer-term aim to be 100% powered by renewables.

HP says it will take a three-pronged approach to acheiving the goal: aggressively reducing energy consumption by increasing energy efficiency; increasing the use of on-site renewable energy generation; and using Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to offset any fossil fuel emissions.

HP’s chief sustainability and social impact officer Nate Hurst said: “Joining RE100 represents a significant milestone for our company as we continue to move toward a business that is powered entirely by renewable electricity.

“As we continue to reinvent a more sustainable business and society, both cost-effective and low carbon sources of energy are essential to the future and the growth of HP’s business. This commitment is guided by our belief in a world where technology and sustainability can combine to become a powerful force for innovation, helping reinvent how businesses, communities, and individuals can thrive.”

The Climate Group’s executive director for North America Amy Davidsen added: “We’ve worked closely with HP and the company’s dedication to building sustainability into the business is clear. We welcome HP’s leadership following the COP21 climate change negotiations and its commitment toward driving forward the clean revolution – benefiting both the environment and the economy.”

Value chain targets

HP’s announcement reflects a progressive strategy undertaken by the company to tackle sustainability challenges. As a recent example, the organisation signed a 12-year ‘virtual PPA’ agreement in 2015 for 112MW of wind power to power its Texas data centres.

In 2014, HP became the first global information technology company to have set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for its entire value chain including its operations, products and supply chain.

HP’s latest sustainability report highlights a dedicated effort to reducing the environmental impact of its operations, with installation capacity for on-site renewable energy increasing by 150% and the reduction of total waste falling by 11.5% on the previous year.

RE100 pledges

HP is the latest in a line of world-leading business to join the RE100 campaign. Earlier in the month edie reported that global financial software, data and media company Bloomberg had signed up to the initiative, setting an ambitious goal to be 100% powered by renewable electricity by 2025.

Carmaker BMW and soft drinks producer Coca Cola Enterprises were among another recent wave of companies that announced RE100 pledges during the COP21 climate talks in Paris.

At the start of the year, The Climate Group and CDP released a report which showed that the 53 companies to have signed up to the RE100 pledge are on average half way on course to achieving their goals.

George Ogleby