Exelon Corporation has set itself a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by eight percent from 2001 levels by the end of 2008. The company has also committed to work with, and encourage, its suppliers to reduce their emissions.
The 8% reduction goal represents a decrease of an estimated 1.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Exelon will incorporate recognition of GHG emissions and their potential cost into its business analyses as a means to promote internal investment in climate-reducing activities.
Exelon made this pledge under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) climate leaders program, a voluntary industry-government partnership designed to address climate change.
Compared to other utilities of equal size, Exelon’s total GHG emissions are relatively low. Nuclear generation constitutes the majority of the company’s generating capacity and is the main reason for its low carbon emission rates. The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) ranked Exelon 93rd on a list of 100 utilities in terms of CO2 emissions intensity from all generating sources and 47th in terms of total tons of CO2 emissions based on 2002 data.
To achieve its goal, Exelon will pursue a portfolio of actions. The company expects that more than half its reductions will come from the use of cleaner energy, including increased renewable generation and increased output from its landfill gas and hydroelectric facilities. In addition, the electric utility firm has already ceased operations at several of its older, less efficient fossil fuel plants, including Mystic 4-6 and Delaware 7-8.