RENEW Wisconsin received a lot of positive press feedback after the 2013 renewable energy policy summit, “Powering Positive Action”. Here is a great press release from SC Johnson, reflecting on their award – find the original here.
Company Presented with “Renewable Energy Customer-Generator of the Year” Award for Advanced Wind Turbine Technology and Other Environmental Efforts
RACINE, Wis., Jan. 11, 2013 – Reflecting SC Johnson’s dedication to the environment, RENEW Wisconsin today awarded it the “Renewable Energy Customer-Generator of the Year” honor, specifically citing the company’s achievements in using renewable energy in its global manufacturing operations. The independent nonprofit organization leads and represents businesses, organizations and individuals seeking cleaner, renewable energy in Wisconsin.
“To be recognized with other Wisconsin companies that also champion clean energy is truly an honor and speaks to the priorities of the business community in our state,” said Kelly M. Semrau, Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability at SC Johnson. “We are grateful for the support of RENEW Wisconsin and their dedicated efforts to advance clean energy policies that put Wisconsin at the forefront of environmental leadership.”
SC Johnson’s commitment to clean energy was recently reaffirmed in December 2012 with the installation of two 415-foot wind turbines at Waxdale, the company’s largest global manufacturing facility in Mt. Pleasant, Wis. These turbines – the first of their kind in the state – will produce about eight million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually – enough to power 700 homes in a year. Combined with two cogeneration turbines that have been in place since the mid-2000s, the facility is now able to produce an average of 100 percent of its electrical energy onsite.
“SC Johnson is doing outstanding work as a renewable self-generator to make wind energy a smart and viable alternative to power their operations,” said Michael Vickerman, Program and Policy Director at RENEW Wisconsin. “We were thrilled to recognize the company for powering positive action in Wisconsin using wind energy, and we are proud that the policies RENEW has advanced have helped SC Johnson achieve this success.”
SC Johnson is emerging as a regional and national leader for its clean-energy initiatives, particularly those related to wind energy. With the commissioning of the wind project at Waxdale, the company is now the only manufacturer in the country that has installed Vensys turbines – the latest in wind turbine technology, meaning less maintenance and higher energy yields than traditional systems.
SC Johnson’s Worldwide Leadership in Renewables
In addition to the wind turbine project at Waxdale, SC Johnson added three SWIFT mini wind turbines to the roof of its Lowell, Ark., sales office, capable of generating as much as 3,600 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. These reduce carbon dioxide emissions equal to about 280 gallons of gasoline. In the Netherlands, a 262-foot-tall wind turbine helps power the SC Johnson European manufacturing facility.
The company has also been making strides in Indonesia since SC Johnson launched a biofuel initiative that converts waste palm shells as a fuel source to heat water for mosquito coil production. This cuts greenhouse gas emissions at the factory by more than 15 percent and reduces local diesel fuel use by 80 percent. Each of these projects brings SC Johnson closer to the company’s goal of increasing worldwide renewable energy use to 44 percent of total electricity by 2016.