SC Johnson Receives EPA Green Power Leadership Award

RACINE, Wis., Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SC Johnson announced today that it has received a 2011 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize leading green power users for their commitment and contribution to the advancement of the nation's voluntary green power market.

"SC Johnson has long been committed to reducing its environmental footprint, which makes it such an honor to be recognized by the EPA for our use of renewable energy," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. "Using alternate energy sources such as co-generation, wind energy and even biofuels like palm shells has enabled us to make a measurable impact. We've reduced greenhouse gases nearly 32 percent in the last decade and we'll continue to push the needle."

The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves using on-site renewable energy applications, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) or landfill gas. SC Johnson, one of only two organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for the on-site generation of green power, currently generates nearly 27 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually from its landfill gas-powered turbine at its largest global plant, Waxdale, located in Sturtevant, Wis. Additionally; the company purchases nearly 35 million kWh of green power for its Bay City, Mich. plant. Combined, SC Johnson uses more than 61 million kWh of green power annually – enough to meet 31 percent of the company's U.S. electricity needs. 

SC Johnson currently ranks number eight on EPA's Top 20 On-site Generation list. Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through October 24, 2011. EPA updates its Top Partner Lists quarterly at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/

Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro. Purchases of green power help accelerate the development of new, renewable energy capacity nationwide and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.

"EPA's Green Power Leadership Award winners are driving the development of new renewable energy sources and demonstrating that green power makes good environmental and business sense," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. "We applaud SC Johnson's efforts and hope that other organizations follow their lead."

According to the EPA, SC Johnson's annual green power usage of more than 61 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of more than 8,000 passenger vehicles per year, or the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of more than 5,000 average American homes annually.

Sustainability has been a focus for SC Johnson for decades. Key initiatives which demonstrate the company's dedication to renewable energy resources include:  

• Three SWIFT mini-wind turbines at its Racine, Wis. Corporate Headquarters that were installed as a pilot program in 2010, with the goal of reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions while raising awareness that renewable energy can be used in urban settings. In their first year of operation, the mini-turbines have reduced GHGs by 580 pounds. The company is currently looking to build wind turbines at Waxdale, its largest global manufacturing facility, located in Sturtevant, Wis.
• The 2009 construction of an 80-meter-tall wind turbine tower helps power SC Johnson's European manufacturing facility in Mijdrecht, Netherlands. It produces approximately five to six million kWh of electricity a year – eliminating 3,500-4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. 
• An innovative burner/boiler system that since 2007 has enabled the company's Medan, Indonesia, factory to run on palm shells, the remaining waste of the palm oil industry. Rather than being burned as a waste product, the shells are used as a fuel source, transferring them to the value chain with minimal environmental impact and reducing the company's diesel fuel usage by 80 percent.

About SC JOHNSON

SC Johnson is a family-owned and managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care and pest control. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, TANA®, BAMA®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR. MUSCLE®, and RIDSECT®. The 125-year-old company, that generates $9 billion in sales, employs approximately nearly 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

About EPA's Green Power Partnership

The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,300 Partner organizations voluntarily purchasing billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies, small and medium-sized businesses, local, state, and federal governments, and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower

About the Green Power Leadership Awards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-sponsors the annual Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions. EPA recognizes winners in the following awards categories; Green Power Partner of the Year; On-site Generation; Green Power Purchase, and Green Power Community of the Year. EPA's Purchaser awards recognize the exceptional achievement among EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through green power procurement, market leadership, overall green power strategy, and overall impact on the green power market. The Awards are held in conjunction with the Renewable Energy Markets Conference. For additional information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/

SOURCE SC Johnson