Atlanta, GA, August 4--For 10 years, Interface, Inc. and its subsidiaries have been engaged in initiatives designed to lighten their company’s environmental footprint, including investments in renewable energy certificates (RECs) that support high quality projects such as the development of renewable energy resources in the Northwest and Plains states.
Interface Fabrics contributions to a green power initiative will now fund new solar projects in the State of Maine, while Interface Flooring Systems has achieved 100 percent renewable electricity for the production of all products in Troup County, Ga.
"Interface has raised the bar within the commercial interiors industry with renewable energy purchases, and it is important to note that we have done so with the bigger picture in mind," said Mike Bertolucci, Ph.D., senior vice president, Interface, Inc. "We’ve worked to ensure that all of our investments in renewable energy bring growth to the green power marketplace.
"As a charter member of the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Green Power Market Development Group and the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership, we have an obligation to help shape the future for green energy markets in the U.S."
A summary of green power purchases by Interface business units includes:
Interface Fabrics
In 2003, Interface Fabrics signed a five-year contract with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to purchase 12,500 MWh of Green-e certified RECs (2,500 MWh/yr) from three wind farms in the U.S. This purchase offsets the greenhouse gas environmental impacts of the electricity needed to produce select patterns of Terratex brand fabrics.
A unique component of that agreement involved the company’s investment of an additional 50¢ per MWh into the development of new renewable energy resources in Maine, where most of the Terratex products are manufactured. Interface Fabrics’ monetary contribution is matched by an equal investment from BEF, resulting in the accumulation of $12,500 designated to provide rebates for residential and commercial energy customers in Maine who choose to install solar arrays on their homes and offices. This supplemental rebate program is being administered on behalf of Interface Fabrics and BEF by the Maine Energy Investment Corporation in Brunswick, Maine.
"The Green-e certified purchase by Interface Fabrics has helped grow sales of select Terratex patterns," said Paul Bennotti, director of marketing strategy for Interface Fabrics. "Our customers appreciate the value of products made with renewable energy and it is our intention to broaden the program scope to include even more Green-e certified Terratex pattern offerings. We believe this will result in more customer participation in the program that will directly translate into increased growth for the green energy reinvestment fund in Maine."
In addition to the renewable energy purchased through RECs, the Guilford, Maine facility also uses waste wood chips to supply 60 percent of its total energy needs, equating to about 20 percent of the total energy needs for all of Interface Fabrics’ New England operations.
In 2004, Interface Fabrics used 9,750 tons of waste wood chips in their manufacturing process, generating an equivalent of 85 trillion BTUs. This equates to the energy derived from burning 600,000 gallons of #2 fuel oil.
Interface Flooring Systems
Interface Flooring Systems has purchased 30,000 MWh of Green-e certified RECs from wind farms in Kansas and Minnesota and a biomass project in Kentucky, enabling the company to offset 100 percent of the electricity needed to produce all modular carpet products made in Troup County, Georgia. Interface Flooring Systems’ renewable energy purchases equate to the avoidance of 18,938 metric tons of Co2 emissions, the same as taking 3,647 cars off the road for a year.
