Exelon commits to cut emissions by 15m tonnes a year

Exelon, one of the largest energy providers in the US, yesterday unveiled a major new climate change strategy designed to reduce, offset or displace more than 15 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year by 2020 and expand the green products and services it offers customers.

The company said that the planned reduction in emissions was greater than its current annual carbon footprint and would represent the equivalent of removing three million cars from the road each year.

John W Rowe, chairman, president and chief executive at the company, said that the new Exelon 2020 aimed to ensure a "much broader, deeper and sustained effort" to cut emissions.

Under the programme, the company has committed to cutting emissions from across its own buildings by a quarter by 2020, encouraging suppliers to disclose their carbon footprint, steeping up efforts to promote energy efficiency among its customers, and expanding its portfolio of solar, wind, biomass and landfill-gas generation.

However, Rowe warned that the success of the strategy remained largely dependent on the US government delivering the right framework of regulations and incentives.

"Without sound, substantial, appropriate and enabling public policy at the federal, regional and state levels, our industry and our society will not be able to address the climate change challenge as quickly, effectively and economically as is required," he said.

Exelon said that as part of the strategy it would continue to lobby legislators for more effective climate change legislation, including "federal loan guarantees for new nuclear capacity development, stricter energy efficiency standards, workable renewable resource mandates, R&D funding for renewables and standard practices for offsets".