The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today recognized AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company, for joining its Better Climate Challenge. As a partner in this Challenge, AVANGRID commits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% in 10 years and to work with DOE to share successful solutions and decarbonization strategies. AVANGRID is one of more than 80 organizations across the U.S. economy that are stepping up to the Challenge and driving real-world action toward a low-carbon future.

“At AVANGRID, we are accelerating the transformation to a cleaner tomorrow,” said AVANGRID Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Zsoka McDonald. “While we focus on increasing access to renewable energy for everyone, we also recognize that a clean energy future and the road to carbon neutrality requires that we identify and reduce environmental impacts across our own footprint. The DOE is a fitting partner in this work. Through this Challenge and our partnership, we can achieve our shared goal of fostering a cleaner, more sustainable world.”

AVANGRID – through its renewables business in 22 states and its eight electric and gas companies serving 3.3 million customers across the Northeast – is at the forefront of the nation’s transformational change in generating and using energy. The company has a forward-looking strategy focused on ESG+F stewardship around the Environment, Society and its own Governance and Financial strength. It was the first utility in the nation to announce a pledge to achieve Scope 1 carbon neutrality by 2035 and is the third largest wind and solar operator in the U.S. AVANGRID is leading the way toward a cleaner energy future by deploying wind and solar nationwide, pioneering offshore wind in the U.S. and building a stronger, more resilient grid to enable the clean energy transition.

“Better Climate Challenge partners like AVANGRID are committing to decarbonize across their portfolio of buildings, plants and fleets and share effective strategies to transition our economy to clean energy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Their leadership and innovation are crucial in our collective fight against climate change while strengthening the U.S. economy.”

AVANGRID has committed to reducing its facilities’ CO2 footprint, more than 4.8 million square feet, by 20% in 10 years. The company plans to achieve these goals through continued deployment of renewable generation, enabling new technologies such as green hydrogen, renewable natural gas and storage to reduce emissions. In addition, AVANGRID is reducing emissions from its facilities by installing solar panels at its largest facilities, procuring renewable energy and reducing the overall facilities footprint as part of the transition to a more flexible work environment.

The Better Climate Challenge is the government platform that provides transparency, accountability, technical assistance and collaboration to identify decarbonization pathways and provide recognition for leadership across the US economy. The Better Climate Challenge builds on over a decade of DOE experience through the Better Buildings Initiative. Through Better Buildings, DOE partners with public and private sector organizations to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings more efficient, thereby saving billions of dollars on energy bills, reducing emissions and creating thousands of jobs. To date, more than 950 Better Buildings partners have shared their innovative approaches and strategies for adopting energy efficient technologies.

Source: Business Wire