Sofitel Hotels Become First Hotel Chain in the U.S. to Choose Wind Power and Become EPA Green Power Partner
Wind Energy Commitment is the Latest Sofitel Effort to Increase
Energy Efficiency
DALLAS--(Business Wire)--
Accor North America announced today a new agreement between its
Sofitel Hotels and wind energy supplier Community Energy, Inc. to
purchase clean, renewable, wind energy for all nine Sofitel locations
in the U.S. This purchase of wind-generated power in the form of
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) qualifies Sofitel Hotels as an
EPA Green Power Partner, making them the first hotel chain to choose
green power for each of the brand's hotel locations in the country.
"We're proud to step up as a leader in our industry and to do our
part for the environment. Our customers recognize and value the
commitment we've made to a safe and secure energy future. We hope
others will follow our lead and make the choice as well," said Robert
Moore, senior vice president of Technical Services for Accor North
America.
Sofitel has nine locations throughout the United States including
two in Chicago and one in Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C. These properties will
buy a total of 1,527,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) of renewable energy.
Compared to the average generation mix in the regional electric grid,
the environmental benefit from this purchase is equal to offsetting
approximately two million pounds of carbon dioxide per year, the
impact of which is equivalent to planting more than 800 acres of trees
each year or not driving 2.36 million miles. This level of commitment
makes Sofitel the first hotel chain to become an EPA Green Power
Partner.
"EPA applauds our corporate partners for protecting our
environment by purchasing green power," said EPA Administrator Stephen
L. Johnson. "By voluntarily shifting to renewable energy, Accor North
America is proving you don't need to wait for a signal in order to go
green."
Community Energy President Brent Alderfer stated, "Sofitel has
stepped up as a leader in the hospitality industry. Their renewable
energy purchase puts their energy dollars to work to benefit the
environment and the nation. As more customers choose to follow their
lead and purchase renewable energy, we can bring more clean power
resources online to meet that demand."
Sofitel has also led the industry in efforts to reduce water and
energy usage such as the use of ozone laundry systems in its
properties. Last September, Sofitel San Francisco Bay was honored
nationally by the WateReuse Association as the 2007 Customer of the
Year for becoming the first to collaborate with the City of Redwood
City, Calif., on its Recycled Water Project.
This agreement with Community Energy signifies the commitment of
Accor North America and Sofitel to energy efficiency and sustainable
development. Accor North America's annual Earth Guest program in 2007
consisted of extensive and ongoing environmental initiatives including
the planting of 20,000 trees representing each Accor employee in North
America, implementation of a 65-point environmental check list at all
properties and at the corporate headquarters, and donation of $375,000
to educational and charitable groups. Earth Guest program activities
are led and put into action at the corporate level and in local
communities by Accor North America's four brands and over 950
properties - Sofitel, Novotel, Studio 6 and Motel 6 in the U.S. and
Canada.
What is Wind Energy?
Wind Energy is a clean source of electricity produced when
specially designed wind turbines capture the wind to generate
electricity. Like historical windmills, modern wind turbines generate
power from the wind. New wind turbines are the fastest growing and one
of the most cost-effective renewable energy technologies in the world,
and are producing power all across the United States.
What are the Benefits of Wind Energy?
Among other benefits, Wind Energy is clean and helps reduce air
pollution; combats climate change; diversifies energy supply; creates
jobs and regional growth and delivers clean power on a large scale.
How can I Purchase Wind Energy for my Home or Business?
Community Energy works with a number of different utility
companies throughout the country offering clean, renewable energy
products that can be purchased as an additional item on your
electricity bill. If Community Energy does not have a partnership with
your utility, you can still support wind energy through the purchase
of wind Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). These third-party certified
RECs ensure that each month, clean wind energy is being generated and
delivered to the power grid on your behalf, helping to make the mix of
electricity in the power grid cleaner.
How Will the Wind Energy get to My Home or Business?
Your purchase ensures that wind energy is generated and placed
onto the power grid on your behalf. You can think of the power grid
like a giant bathtub being filled with electricity from many different
faucets - like nuclear, coal or wind. Every time you turn on a light
switch, you drain a little electricity from the tub. By buying wind
energy from Community Energy you are increasing the amount of
pollution-free wind generated electricity, or pouring clean water into
the tub, and decreasing the need for energy generation from other
non-renewable polluting sources. Wind energy is guaranteed to be
placed on the grid in an amount equal to your purchase size, thereby
matching your power consumption with clean, renewable wind energy
generation. For more information on Wind Energy, go to
www.NewWindEnergy.com.
Sofitel reinvents French elegance in its hotels throughout the
world.
Sofitel is the only French Luxury Hotels brand with a presence on
five continents, in more than 50 countries. Whether situated in the
heart of a major city like Paris, New York or Bangkok, or nestled away
in a country landscape in French Polynesia or Brazil, each Sofitel
property offers a genuine experience of the French art de vivre.
Discover Sofitel on www.sofitel.com.
About Accor North America
Headquartered in Dallas (Carrollton), Texas, Accor North America
operates more than 950 upscale and economy properties including
nationwide economy leaders Studio 6 and Motel 6 and the upper-upscale
Sofitel and upscale Novotel hotel locations in the U.S. and Canada.
For more information, visit http://www.accor-na.com/ or call
972-360-9000.
Accor, the European leader and a major global group in hotels, the
global leader in services to corporate clients and public
institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 170,000 employees.
It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in its two core
businesses:
-- Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure,
Suitehotel, Ibis, All Seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1, Studio 6
and Motel 6 brands, representing more than 4,000 hotels and
nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically
related activities, such as Lenotre.
-- Services, with 23 million people in nearly 40 countries
benefiting from Accor Services products in human resources,
marketing services and expense management.
Community Energy, Inc. (CEI) is a marketer and developer of wind
energy generation founded in 1999 and headquartered in Radnor,
Pennsylvania. CEI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBERDROLA RENEWABLES
- the largest owner and operator of renewable energy facilities in the
world. CEI cites its utility partners and customers as the reason for
its success in bringing wind energy to market in new regions of the
country. CEI developed and jointly owns wind projects in Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, and has wind projects under development in the
Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states. For
more information, please visit www.NewWindEnergy.com.
Accor North America
Laura Rojo-Eddy, 972-360-5970
lrojo@accor-na.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
