CLP Group is largest non-US consumer of renewable energy

Hong Kong-based CLP Holdings topped the list of non-US users of renewable energy in 2010 according to the Corporate Renewable Energy Index (CREX) launched recently by wind turbine market leader Vestas.

While American companies Intel and Kohl's department store ranked first and second among the world's 20 leading corporate purchasers of renewable energy, CLP was third with 953GWh or 66.3 percent of electricity used in its operations coming through procurement of renewable sources. The company was ranked 9th when it came to percentage of consumption from renewables.

The survey, aimed at boostingtransparency around the use of clean technology has been described as the first study of global business renewable energy procurement of the world's 1,000 largest companies,

The CREX was conducted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and looks at data from 176 companies to create a combined 2009 and 2010 index based on total energy consumption, renewable energy use, and whether corporations buy renewable energy through Renewable Energy Certificates, carbon offsets or direct investments.

Chip maker Intel bought 1,493GW of renewable energy in 2010, making it the top ranked company among those disclosing data while Kohl's ranked highest in terms of renewable procurement on a percentage basis, with 100 percent of its electricity coming from renewable sources.

Natural and organic foods retailer Whole Foods Market topped the ranking for wind-specific procurement, with all of its electricity coming from wind farms. Similarly, reinsurance giant Swiss Re has 78.1 percent of its electricity coming from renewables.

While US companies topped the index, European people were more inclined to purchase renewable energy, followed by North Americans and Asians.

Vestas also published its annual Global Consumer Wind Study with TNS which surveyed 31,000 consumers in 26 countries and revealed that 90 percent of respondents want to see an increase in renewable energy use over the next five years. Fifteen percent think nuclear should be used more while only eight percent support an increase in fossil fuels.

The survey found that Chinese citizens are most in favor of renewables, with 95 percent of respondents preferring renewable energy as their source of electricity - the highest regional ranking - compared to the US which had th lowest ranking at just 71 percent.

Significantly, 53 percent of people in China viewed climate change as the greatest challenge the country faces compared to just seven percent in the US. The report suggests this difference could be caused by a greater focus on economic worries by American consumers prompted by the recession.

Vestas, the world's largest wind turbine manufacturer, is currently attempting to bolster corporate and consumer demand for wind energy. Its president and chief executive Ditlev Engel explained that the CREX was designed to boost transparency and allow businesses and consumers to compare companies' energy consumption.

"It is this need for visibility regarding energy consumption that has prompted Vestas to undertake a number of initiatives, including working with Bloomberg New Energy Finance to create the CREX," he said.