EPA Designates Buffalo Grove A Green Power Community

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — The Village of Buffalo Grove was recently designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a Green Power Community. Together, residents, businesses and Village operations are collectively using more than 48 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power yearly, which equals to 16-percent of community-wide electricity use, according to a press release.

The 16-percent use of community-wide electric use places Buffalo Grove in the top 50 communities in the United States.

Buffalo Grove has a Community Choice Aggregation program that provides renewable electricity for 100-percent of participating ratepayers’ electricity use, which comes from nationally sourced wind power. Though implementation of this program, Buffalo Grove is advancing the voluntary market for green power and development of those sources, according to the release.

"We are proud and honored to be recognized by the EPA for using green power, which is better for our environment and for our community's future," said Village President Beverly Sussman in the release. "Through our commitment to using green power, we are playing a part in reinforcing the message that it is both affordable and accessible."

Sussman added that through its involvement, the Village also supports the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus of Chicago’s Greenest Region Compact, which addresses climate change issues through renewable energy resources that can reduce the carbon footprint exponentially over time.

In addition to Buffalo Grove, Green Power Communities around the country are helping to reduce negative health impacts resulting from air emissions, including those related to ozone, fine particles, acid rain, and regional haze.

According to the EPA, Buffalo Grove’s green power use of more than 48 million kWh is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 4,000 average American homes annually, according to the release. For additional information, please visit www.epa.gov/greenpower.