News Type: Press Release

Initiatives around Diversity and Inclusion and Work-Life Balance recognized

3Degrees announced today that it was named a 2017 San Francisco Bay Area Best and Brightest Company, which recognizes companies that provide superior work environments for their employees. The results are based on an employee survey and a review of HR practices. This year, the award highlighted 3Degrees’ focus on diversity and inclusion as well as the organization’s attention to appropriate work-life balance.

“We consider improving diversity within our workforce and our industry to be of strategic importance,” said CEO Steve McDougal. “We know we have a lot more to do, but our proud to be recognized for our progress.”  

3Degrees is known for creative human resource practices and more recently has been acknowledged for its efforts around inclusion.  As a global organization with a large part-time and seasonal workforce, the company has a long history of creating a culture that supports work-life balance through flexible work arrangements, an innovative leave policy and paid volunteer hours.

In the past year, 3Degrees has increased its focus on diversity and inclusion. An employee-led committee has organized several training sessions for employees and is currently managing an equity audit that will allow us to determine priorities for the coming year. In addition, this year, 3Degrees became a sponsor of Energy Scholars, a program that helps encourage women and minorities consider careers in renewable energy.

See a list of available jobs on our careers page.

Clean Energy Aggregation to Support Apex Clean Energy’s White Mesa Wind Project in Crockett County, TX

Apple, eBay, Samsung and Sprint today announced a joint agreement to purchase power from a new wind farm owned and developed by Apex Clean Energy. The transaction—spearheaded by Apple, the largest purchaser in the innovative small load energy aggregation—totals approximately 75 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power the equivalent of 20,000 homes.

Shared energy purchases like this allow companies to pool their energy demands and collectively support the addition of large-scale renewable energy projects to the grid. Apple brought together other technology leaders dedicated to responsible business practices – eBay, Samsung and Sprint – in the aggregation agreement, which will enable all participants to access cost-effective low-carbon renewable energy from the new project. 3Degrees facilitated the agreement.

The full 500-MW White Mesa Wind project is expected to come online in 2021 in Crockett County, TX.

“We’re proud to be powering all of Apple’s operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy and driving the private sector to support the clean energy transition,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Businesses of all sizes and of varying energy needs can help bring new, renewable energy online. This collaborative agreement in Texas is a model we hope others will replicate.”

“At eBay, we prioritize operating in the most environmentally and socially sustainable way,” said Wendy Jones, SVP Global Operations, eBay. “This collaboration is not only an important step in advancing our commitment to reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2025, but it also offers an inclusive approach to collaborate with other companies and lead the way toward a clean energy future.”

“Samsung Austin Semiconductor understands the responsibility of businesses to work together to support environmental sustainability and increase the share of renewable energy in our local markets,” said Gil Heyun Choi, president of Samsung Austin Semiconductor. “We see this agreement as a landmark effort for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies and a demonstration of green manufacturing brought to scale.”

“This project marks another step toward reaching our corporate goal of reducing Sprint’s carbon footprint,” said Chas Peterson, Vice President of Procurement for Sprint. “We are also greening our supply chain by partnering with some of our key suppliers on this innovative shared energy purchase.”

“Enabling corporate aggregation for renewable power purchasing is a key focus of Apex’s and an essential way of engaging more corporate customers in clean energy procurement,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “The Apex platform is designed to develop utility-scale wind and solar projects that deliver optimized performance paired with the flexibility that aggregated offtakers need to make these deals feasible. White Mesa Wind is a prime example of the future of corporate clean energy transactions: aggregated power purchasing tailored to each offtaker’s needs.”

“REBA members continue to drive innovation in clean energy procurement,” said Miranda Ballentine, CEO, Renewable Energy Buyer’s Alliance. “By bringing together the buying power of four leading brands, Apple, eBay, Sprint and Samsung, with the professional support of 3Degrees, energy buyers are proving that through the right partnerships these innovative renewable energy projects can come to fruition.”

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About Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC

Samsung Austin Semiconductor is one of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the world with more than 3,000 employees and 2.45 million square feet of floor space. Samsung Austin Semiconductor has broad semiconductor process technology offerings serving customers in various application areas including mobile, consumer, networking/high performance computing, Internet of Things, RF and automotive. Since 1996, Samsung Austin Semiconductor has invested approximately $17 billion in its Austin, TX campus, making it one of the largest direct foreign investments in United States history. Samsung Austin Semiconductor is a US-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The Austin facility is one of the few semiconductor plants the company has outside South Korea. Visit www.samsung.com/us/sas.

About Sprint

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 54.3 million connections as of June 30, 2019 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Today, Sprint’s legacy of innovation and service continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network and commitment to launching a 5G mobile network in the U.S. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About eBay

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce leader including the Marketplace, StubHub and Classifieds platforms. Collectively, we connect millions of buyers and sellers around the world, empowering people and creating opportunity for all. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2018, eBay enabled $95 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

About Apex Clean Energy

Apex Clean Energy develops, constructs, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across North America. Our mission-driven team of more than 200 renewable energy experts uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. For more information on how Apex is leading the transition to a clean energy future, visit apexcleanenergy.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Wind farm photos courtesy of Apex Clean Energy

Fast Company today announced its 10th annual list of the Most Creative People in Business, honoring an influential and diverse group of 100 leaders from a vast range of global industries including tech, design, entertainment, health care, media, government, nonprofit, finance, food, and more.

The Most Creative People in Business list recognizes individuals whose work might not necessarily be quantifiable by numbers, but who are nonetheless having a measurable impact on the world. These scientists, executives, programmers, comedians, founders, designers, musicians, writers, and activists have accomplished something new this year within their field that’s driving their industries forward and solving global and societal problems in novel ways.

This year’s group represents Fast Company’s hallmark of diversity: 52 are women, 48 are men, with more than 25 hailing from outside the United States, and nearly one-third are people of color.

“For more than 30 years, I have been working with organizations across the globe to improve their environmental performance,” said Erin Craig, VP, Energy and Climate Practice at 3Degrees. “As climate change presents an increasingly urgent challenge, we need lots of creative thinking, charting a way forward even when an easy path doesn’t present itself. In the face of this imperative, I am deeply motivated to find solutions that work. I am honored to be recognized by Fast Company for doing work that I am passionate about and which is making – I believe and I hope – a significant positive impact in the world.”

Erin works with some of the world’s leading corporations to develop and implement climate and renewable energy strategies. She has personally led dozens of renewable energy supply engagements and assisted clients with contracting for over 1 GW of renewable energy. In 2018, Erin supported Apple, Akamai Technologies (Akamai), Etsy, and Swiss Re as they leveraged their collective buying power in the largest aggregated corporate renewable energy transaction to date. 

Fast Company editors and writers spend a year researching candidates for the list, scouting every sector of business: technology, fashion, cybersecurity, biotech, entertainment, beauty, social good, food, data, consumer goods, and more. The people selected have all accomplished something truly innovative within the past 12 months or so that is having a meaningful effect within their industries. They’re also discoveries — none has ever been profiled in Fast Company before. Taken together, they represent where business is heading right now.

“This year’s edition acknowledges society’s increasingly fraught relationship with technology. It is light on people inventing new apps to sell us more stuff—and mine our personal information—and heavier on leaders trying to protect consumers and companies from unscrupulous actors online,” says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.

To see the complete list go to: fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2019

Introduced in 2009, the Most Creative People list was quickly established as one of Fast Company’s most esteemed franchises. Each year, the magazine’s editors present an all-new list of 100 people chosen according to a proprietary methodology.

Fast Company‘s Most Creative People in Business issue (Summer 2019) is available online now at fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2019 and on newsstands beginning June 4. Join the Most Creative People conversation using #FCMostCreative.

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About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for “Magazine of the Year,” Adweek’s Hot List for “Hottest Business Publication,” and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

3Degrees announced today that it has become an Affiliate of the Energy Web Foundation (EWF), a global non-profit organization focused on accelerating blockchain technology across the energy sector. With this commitment, 3Degrees joins more than 90 other leading companies as Affiliates of EWF and has access to strategic R&D investment in blockchain technology in the energy sector.

“We have been studying blockchain closely over the past year and felt the time was right to join forces with EWF, an organization pioneering the way the energy industry will intersect with blockchain-enabled platforms,” said Steve McDougal, CEO of 3Degrees. “3Degrees is committed to being a credible, trustworthy partner to our customers as they navigate this emerging technology. We believe blockchain offers enormous potential for the energy and environmental commodity markets, the grid edge, electric vehicles, demand response, and beyond. However, it’s critical that we approach this new technology intelligently and with stringent regulation. 3Degrees became an Affiliate of EWF because we align with their approach to the intersection of blockchain and the energy markets.”

Co-founded by Rocky Mountain Institute and Grid Singularity, EWF’s core focus is building an open-source, scalable blockchain platform specifically designed for the energy sector’s regulatory, operational, and market needs. It serves as a foundational, shared, digital infrastructure for the energy and blockchain community to build and run their solutions. As an Affiliate of EWF, 3Degrees will have privileged access to research, technology, education efforts, and the organization’s ecosystem.

“3Degrees is a leading renewable energy and environmental commodities market player that is committed to operating with transparency and integrity,” said Hervé Touati, CEO of Energy Web Foundation. “Blockchain technology holds much promise across their focus areas, including renewable energy certificates and renewable energy procurement. We’re excited for 3Degrees to add their respected perspective to the evolution of the Energy Web Chain.”

About Energy Web Foundation

Energy Web Foundation (EWF) is a global nonprofit unleashing blockchain’s potential to accelerate the transition to a decentralized, democratized, decarbonized, and resilient energy system. EWF is building the shared, digital infrastructure—an open-source, scalable blockchain platform—specifically designed for the energy sector’s regulatory, operational, and market needs. Co-founded by Rocky Mountain Institute and Grid Singularity, and with a worldwide network of more than 90 affiliates and growing, EWF is the largest energy blockchain ecosystem and the industry’s leading choice as the foundational blockchain base layer, providing the digital DNA building blocks powering the world’s energy future. For more, visit https://www.energyweb.org.

Energy Web Foundation (EWF)
Peter Bronski
+1.201.575.5545
[email protected]

• Bank of America Commits to Long-Term REC Purchases from the Project
• GE’s Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) Technology Platform used to Maximize Energy Production
• Venture Illustrates Potential of Hybrid Solutions to Accelerate Penetration of Renewable Energy

Juhl Energy announced today that it has selected GE Renewable Energy (GE:NYSE) to supply equipment for the first commercial integrated solar-wind hybrid power generation project in the U.S.  The Minnesota-based clean energy company has developed the 2.0MW community-based renewable energy project to provide low-cost, locally generated energy to the Lake Region Electric Cooperative of Pelican Rapids, Minn.  Bank of America (BAC:NYSE) has provided necessary financial support for the project, agreeing to purchase the project-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), in line with its environmental goals.  3Degrees facilitated the connection between Juhl Energy and Bank of America.

“Distributed generation will play a major role in the implementation of renewable energy in the U.S. electrical market in the years to come,” said Dan Juhl of Juhl Energy. “Projects such as this one, with Juhl Energy’s package design and GE hybrid technology, will economically blend clean, renewable energy into the electric grid at a lower cost, plus add reliability to the system.”

“This unique renewable energy project will provide a tremendous amount of value to the local community. The cost savings from purchasing the hybrid project’s energy will help provide rate stability, benefiting all of our co-op members,” stated Tim Thompson, CEO of Lake Region Electric Cooperative.

The project will use one 2.0-116 wind turbine from GE Renewable Energy’s Onshore Wind business supported by 0.5 MW of PV solar.  The innovative project utilizes GE’s Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) technology platform – developed through GE’s Global Research Center – to directly integrate the solar panels through the wind turbine’s converter so both wind and solar share the same balance of plant, increasing system net capacity by 3-4 percent and annual energy production by up to 10 percent. The hybrid design gives these type of projects the ability to produce power when it is most needed, with the solar essentially providing summer peak energy, and the wind providing winter peak energy.

Pete McCabe, president and CEO, Onshore Wind, GE Renewable Energy, said, “By leveraging the complementary nature of wind and solar, this unique project shows how GE is driving technology innovation that will help customers deliver more renewable energy in an even more efficient manner.”

Bank of America’s purchase of the RECs from the project long term will cover the bank’s electricity usage in the state and will contribute to its 2020 environmental operations goal of purchasing 100% renewable electricity.

“Accelerating the path to a sustainable future starts with creative thinking and projects that can help drive more low-carbon energy solutions in our communities,” says Alex Liftman, Global Environmental executive at Bank of America. “Through supporting innovative renewable energy projects like this one, we continue to enhance our commitment to reduce our operational impacts on the environment.”

The project will be owned by a subsidiary of Juhl Energy that pools together capital from the company and outside private investors. Juhl is further partnering with Faith Technologies, Inc., to construct the project and collaborate on building additional hybrid projects.   Faith Technologies, Inc. is a national leader in electrical planning, engineering, design and installation that is headquartered in Menasha, Wisconsin and has regional offices throughout the country.  This project will be operational before year end 2018.

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About Juhl Energy

Juhl Energy is an established leader and pioneer in the renewable energy industry with a focus on competitive, clean energy solutions, including wind, solar, hybrid systems and heat/power projects designed for rural communities, municipal electric companies, and industrial companies throughout the United States.  Juhl Energy has completed 25 projects, accounting for over 350 MW’s of power.  Juhl services every aspect of development from general consultation, engineering, construction and management, to system operations and maintenance.   Juhl Energy is headquartered in Chanhassen, MN, and has other offices in Chicago, and Milwaukee. 

About GE Renewable Energy

GE Renewable Energy is a $10 billion business with an innovative spirit and entrepreneurial mindset, bringing together one of the broadest energy products and digital services portfolios in the renewable energy industry. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro and innovative technologies such as hybrid systems and concentrated solar power, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts capacity globally to make the world work better and cleaner. With more than 22,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy is working on new ways to power the world’s biggest economies and more remote communities. 

About Bank of America

At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact.  

Projects to generate 290 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power 74,000 homes

Apple, Akamai, Etsy and Swiss Re today announced an agreement to develop two new wind and solar energy farms in Illinois and Virginia. Spearheaded by Apple, the new projects will generate 290 megawatts to the PJM electric grid serving much of the Eastern United States, including areas of Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. The two new projects will provide enough power for 74,000 homes and will support each of the companies’ operations.

Akamai, Etsy and Swiss Re previously had limited opportunity to access large renewable energy projects in the regions covered by the thirteen state PJM wholesale electric market. By collaborating with Apple, these companies were able to access wind and solar power from the new projects at competitive prices and agreement terms. Collaborations like this accelerate the pace at which new renewable energy generation is built and brought online.

The group, with technical assistance from 3Degrees, will collectively purchase 125 megawatts from a wind farm near Chicago and 165 megawatts from a solar PV project outside Fredericksburg, Virginia, which will be delivered to the electric grid covered by the PJM wholesale electric market. The projects are expected to come online over the next two years. The solar and wind projects will be developed by sPower (an AES and AIMCo company) and Geronimo Energy, respectively.

“At Apple, we’re proud to power all of our operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “In the process, we’ve charted a course for other companies and organizations to purchase renewable energy and transition their own operations to greener power. The collaboration announced today shows how companies of all sizes can address climate change by coming together.”

“Etsy is excited to be a part of a project that will benefit both the planet and our customers,” said Rachel Glaser, Etsy Chief Financial Officer. “This agreement will help Etsy to meet our goal of powering operations with 100% renewable electricity while also innovating by paving the way for small companies to participate in the renewable energy market.”

“We are proud to be partnering with these corporate leaders to accelerate renewable energy adoption. For Akamai, this collaboration was critical in closing these deals; and, in conjunction with our Texas wind project signed last year, we are on target to achieve our 2020 global renewable energy goal,” said Jim Benson, Akamai EVP and CFO.

“As a leader in mitigating climate risk, Swiss Re aims to reduce its carbon footprint and support renewable energy, which is why we’re so happy to be part of this collaboration,” said Brian Beebe, Head of Origination North America, Weather and Energy, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. “We also hope to speed up the adoption of these clean technologies through Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ innovative insurance products, which help owners of wind and solar assets decrease cash flow uncertainty.”

“We commend Apple’s leadership in this collaboration between them, Akamai and Etsy. Without this group of forward-thinking companies this project would not be a reality,” said Ryan Creamer, CEO of sPower.

About Akamai
As the world’s largest and most trusted cloud delivery platform, Akamai makes it easier for its customers to provide the best and most secure digital experiences on any device, anytime, anywhere. Akamai’s massively distributed platform is unparalleled in scale with over 200,000 servers across 130 countries, giving customers superior performance and threat protection. Akamai’s portfolio of web and mobile performance, cloud security, enterprise access, and video delivery solutions are supported by exceptional customer service and 24/7 monitoring. To learn why the top financial institutions, e-commerce leaders, media & entertainment providers, and government organizations trust Akamai please visitwww.akamai.com,blogs.akamai.com, or @Akamai onTwitter. For more information about Akamai’s renewable energy program please visit our sustainability site.

About Etsy
Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. Our mission is to keep commerce human, and we’re committed to using the power of business to strengthen communities and empower people. We connect millions of buyers and sellers from nearly every country in the world. Buyers come to Etsy to be inspired and delighted by items that are crafted and curated by creative entrepreneurs. For sellers, we offer a range of tools and services that address key business needs.
Etsy was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.

About Swiss Re
The Swiss Re Group is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk – from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cyber crime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 80 offices globally. It is organised into three Business Units, each with a distinct strategy and set of objectives contributing to the Group’s overall mission.

About sPower
sPower, an AES and AIMCo company, is the largest private owner of operating solar assets in the United States. sPower owns and operates a portfolio of solar and wind assets greater than 1.3 GW and has a development pipeline of more than 10 GW. sPower is owned by a joint venture partnership between The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), a worldwide energy company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, one of Canada’s largest and most diversified institutional investment fund managers. For more information, visit www.sPower.com.

Top academic minds join high caliber community of renewable energy leaders

From left to right: Bhuvan Neema, Michelle Davis, Krisztina Pjeczka, Josh Constanti, Kayla Kutter, Jaydeep Laljani, Taylor Price, and Nitish Garg

In partnership with Net Impact, OneEnergy Renewables and 3Degrees are thrilled to announce the 2018 class of Energy Scholars.

The Energy Scholar program, now in its seventh year, is designed to cultivate and empower tomorrow’s renewable energy leaders through professional mentoring, networking, and industry access. The goal of the program is to foster a new generation of skilled and experienced professionals to take on the fight against climate change.

“We congratulate the 2018 Energy Scholar awardees and look forward to supporting their contributions toward an equitable new energy economy,” said Jennifer Barnes, vice president of operations & communications at OneEnergy Renewables. “We are also thrilled to have partnered with our long-standing friends at 3Degrees this year.  OneEnergy believes that with both companies working together, the Energy Scholars will enjoy even more career opportunities and experiences.”

The Energy Scholar Program recipients comprise students from esteemed institutions such as Duke, UCLA, University of Michigan, and Yale across the spectrum of renewable energy industry needs, including sustainable energy policy, power system modeling, and renewable thermal technologies.

“We are enjoying getting to know this diverse and talented class of Energy Scholars.” said Adam Capage, vice president of corporate and government affairs at 3Degrees. “Their impressive academic achievements, coupled with steadfast commitment to growing the renewable energy industry makes us optimistic about the future.”

Net Impact, OneEnergy Renewables and 3Degrees would like to congratulate the exemplary dedication these students continue to demonstrate and look forward to seeing the impact they will make on the renewable energy sector.

“Net Impact is so proud of our continued partnership with One Energy Renewables during the last several years!” said Liz Maw, Net Impact’s CEO. “This year, we deepened our shared commitment further, cultivating emerging-generation renewable energy leaders through the Energy Scholars program. By expanding our partnership to include 3Degrees, another pioneering organization focused on transitioning towards a low-carbon economy, as well as including the topic of racial diversity at the Energy Scholars conference session, collectively, we’re accelerating our future energy industry leaders in key, relevant ways. We look forward to many more years of working together for a more sustainable world.”  

To learn more about the Energy Scholars program, click here  and here.

3Degrees was recently named the 2017 Best Trading Company in Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) – North America for the 4th year in a row by Environmental Finance magazine. These awards honor the expertise and ingenuity of the leading brokers, traders and intermediaries in environmental markets worldwide and are based on a survey of customers and peers.

“It is an honor to be recognized once again by our partners, customers and peers and a testament to the hard work, integrity and creativity of our entire team,” says Scott Eidson, vice president of environmental markets. “Our work – and the work of everyone in our industry – is key to continuing to our ongoing fight against climate change.”

3Degrees offers products and services across the globe and it is our extensive industry knowledge and focus on high-touch customer service that keeps hundreds of energy suppliers and buyers returning to 3Degrees each year. “In today’s volatile markets, our steadfast focus on building strong relationships that create value has served our partners extremely well,” says Eidson.

3Degrees recently celebrated our 10 year anniversary and has transacted more than 130 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy. Overall, this is the sixth time 3Degrees has earned a top designation by Environmental Finance readers in this category.

Rigorous process allows BART to procure cost effective renewable energy

3Degrees is proud to be a part of BART’s historic commitment to long term renewable energy through two power purchase agreements. BART, the fifth largest rapid transit system in the US, serves San Francisco and surrounding communities. Working with the Sustainability Group at BART, our team developed and managed the solicitation process, evaluating bids from over 30 project developers. 3Degrees was also responsible for significant quantitative analysis and qualitative project and supplier assessment, allowing the team to identify those projects that provided both the best value and the best fit for BART’s unique energy needs.

“3Degrees was instrumental in providing both in-depth quantitative analysis along with real-world expertise that allowed us to quickly zero in on the best opportunities for BART,” said Holly Gordon, Sustainability Group Manager at BART, “Their team was invaluable in helping us make strategic procurement decisions in a dynamic and changing marketplace.”

The 3Degrees’ team worked closely with BART throughout contract negotiations and helped to finalize the agreements, providing key risk mitigation recommendations and solutions.

“3Degrees is proud to be a part of BART’s work on combating climate change,” says Kourtney Nelson, Director in 3Degrees’ Energy & Climate Practice. “As a leader in the transportation sector, they have now set the bar for their peers.”

These projects, which are expected to come online by 2021, will provide about 90% of BART’s electricity needs, far exceeding BART’s goal of getting 50% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025. In addition, these projects will help both lower and stabilize BART’s energy costs.