Office of Atmospheric Programs: 

Climate Protection Partnerships

JANUARY 2014

2010

Annual Report

OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION

2012 ANNUAL REPORT
CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR .............................................................................................................................................................. 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 2

ENERGY STAR PROGRAM ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

 CERTIFIED PRODUCTS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7

 RESIDENTIAL SECTOR ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12

 COMMERCIAL SECTOR ............................................................................................................................................................................ 14

 INDUSTRIAL SECTOR ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15

CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCING ENERGY SUPPLY PROGRAMS ................................................................................................................... 18

GREEN POWER PARTNERSHIP (GPP) ................................................................................................................................................... 19

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PARTNERSHIP (CHP) ...................................................................................................................... 20

METHANE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS ....................................................................................................................................... 21

NATURAL GAS STAR ................................................................................................................................................................................ 21

AGSTAR ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22

LANDFILL METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM (LMOP) ....................................................................................................................... 22

COALBED METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM (CMOP) ....................................................................................................................... 23

FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS ............................................................................................ 24

VOLUNTARY ALUMINUM INDUSTRIAL PARTNERSHIP (VAIP) ........................................................................................................ 25

SF6 EMISSIONS REDUCTION PARTNERSHIP FOR ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS (EPS) ............................................................... 25

RESPONSIBLE APPLIANCE DISPOSAL PROGRAM (RAD) ................................................................................................................. 26

GREENCHILL PARTNERSHIP ................................................................................................................................................................... 27

CROSS-CUTTING EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS............................................................................................................................ 28

 CENTER FOR CORPORATE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP.............................................................................................................................. 28

 STATE AND LOCAL CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM .................................................................................................................... 29

MEASURING RESULTS: REPORT METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 30

APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38

 A: AWARDS ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 38

 B: LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................................................................. 42

 C: LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................................................................... 43

 D: REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
REFLECTING ON 2012 CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIP ACCOMPLISHMENTS

LETTER FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR

For more than 20 years the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has collaborated with organizations across 

America to develop and deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions to protect our climate. The EPA’s 

climate-protection partnerships include energy-efficiency and renewable programs such as ENERGY STAR®, 

Green Power Partnership, Combined Heat and Power Partnership and programs that address non-CO2

greenhouse gases such as Natural Gas STAR, AgSTAR and the GreenChill Partnership, to name a few. Through 

investments in energy-efficient, clean, alternative technologies and practices, the EPA’s climate protection 

partners are tackling the challenges of climate change while improving our health, saving consumers money, 

and strengthening our economy. 

The urgency to act on climate change is clear. President Obama in June 2013 issued his Climate Action Plan, 

which calls on the federal government to work with all stakeholders to take action in three major ways: cut the 

harmful carbon pollution that fuels climate change, help our cities and towns build resilience to its impacts, and 

lead international efforts to combat and prepare for global climate change. The plan directs federal agencies 

to work together over the next 20 years to cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses and to 

leverage new opportunities to reduce pollution from highly potent greenhouse gases like hydrofluorocarbons and 

methane. The good news is we can take these responsible steps to protect public health and the planet without 

sacrificing economic growth. In fact, we’ve been doing it for some time, as every dollar we’ve invested over the years to comply with the Clean 

Air Act has returned $4 to $8 dollars in economic benefits. A clean and healthy environment lays the foundation for a strong, 

sustainable economy.

As reflected in the Climate Action Plan, climate change isn’t a distant threat; it threatens us today. And the public understands the urgency for 

climate action, the benefits of acting on the environment and the economy, and the need to enact regulations to limit carbon pollution. The global 

average temperature for every decade since the Industrial Revolution has been hotter than the previous decade, and the 12 hottest years on 

record have all been within the past 15 years. Scientists have observed changes in precipitation, rising sea level, melting ice and altered weather 

patterns, including more frequent and intense storms. And the science keeps getting stronger. These changes come with devastating 

consequences and real economic costs to Americans. Last year alone, the second costliest year ever recorded in terms of disasters, the U.S. 

endured 11 different weather and climate events with estimated losses exceeding $1 billion each. 

The Office of Atmospheric Programs’ climate partnerships are making steady progress reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting wasted 

energy, and saving American families and businesses money. These accomplishments include: 

•	 Americans saved more than $26 billion on their utility bills in 2012 with the help of ENERGY STAR® and prevented greenhouse gas emissions 

equal to the annual electricity use of 35 million homes.

•	 Since the Green Power Partnership was introduced in 2001, more than 1,400 organizations have committed to using about 29 billion 

kilowatt-hours of green power each year.

•	 More than 450 partners have installed over 5,700 megawatts of new combined heat and power since the Combined Heat and Power 

Partnership launched in 2001.

•	 In 2012, EPA’s methane and fluorinated greenhouse-gas-program partners used EPA tools and resources to prevent emissions equal to the 

annual electricity use from more than 10 million homes.

•	 In total, more than 21,000 organizations and millions of American consumers partnered with the EPA through the Office of Atmospheric 

Programs’ climate partnerships and produced significant environmental benefits, including preventing more than 365 million metric tons of 

greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of over 50 million homes.

Together, with our climate protection partners, we have achieved meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. However, like so many of 

our environmental challenges, climate change cannot be addressed solely by the EPA’s actions or even by the entire federal government. 

Everyone has a role to play in bringing about a healthier climate, a cleaner economy and a stronger future.

We look forward to building on the success of these partnerships to address climate change through comprehensive, common-sense actions that 

benefit the planet and all Americans today and for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Gina McCarthy
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Global climate change is a pressing national and international environmental problem. Addressing this 

challenge calls for both near- and long-term, proven, cost-effective solutions to reduce overall emissions 

of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and remove the barriers that hinder investment in low-cost energy efficiency 

and clean energy supply options. Consistent with the President’s 2013 Climate Action Plan, the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) climate protection partnership programs continue to implement 

a comprehensive set of policies and programs that complement regulatory efforts, successfully achieving 

outstanding environmental and financial benefits, as they have done for the last 20 years.

Opportunities exist to greatly reduce GHG emissions and many of these strategies are cost-beneficial. The 

challenge is to maximize access to these opportunities so that consumers and businesses can overcome 

the market barriers that persist across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Since 1992, EPA has 

worked with its climate protection partners to dismantle those barriers by developing tools, offering 

technical assistance, and sharing best practices. That support combined with voluntary standards, 

objective information, and public recognition has solidified EPA’s partnerships as valuable resources to 

reduce GHG emissions. 

The success of these programs is demonstrated by their continued annual emissions reductions and the 

increasing investment in energy efficiency, clean energy technologies, and other climate-friendly 

practices. Through these widespread investments and the adoption of innovative strategies, EPA and its 

partners promote long-term market transformation and GHG emissions reductions.

The climate protection partnerships represent one component of EPA’s ongoing efforts to develop national 

programs, policies, and regulations for reducing air pollution. By coordinating across the Agency and with 

other federal programs, EPA can ensure these programs work effectively together to protect our health 

and the environment.

In 2012, EPA’s climate protection partnerships produced impressive results.1 Over 21,000 organizations 

across the United States partnered with EPA to reduce emissions and achieve significant environmental 

and economic benefits (see Table 1)2: 

•	 Preventing more than 365 million metric tons of U.S. GHG emissions (in MMTCO2e) (see Figure 2, 

pg. 5)—equivalent to the emissions from the annual electricity use of over 50 million homes—providing 

over $13 billion in benefits to society due to reducing damages from climate change.3

•	 Reducing net energy bills by more than $26 billion and mitigating methane emissions valued at $4.6 

billion in 2012 alone.

•	 Investing over $125 billion in energy-efficient technologies and practices through 2012.

•	 Preventing more than 3,100 MMTCO2e of GHG emissions cumulatively due to investments made 

through 2012.

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

2

1 This report provides results for the Climate Protection Partnership Programs operated by the Office of Atmospheric Programs at EPA. It does not include emissions reductions attributable to regulatory programs, such 

 as the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program, nor other voluntary climate programs operated by other EPA offices which are also part of EPA’s comprehensive climate program. EPA estimates the reduction in 

 greenhouse gas emissions across active programs in the buildings and industrial sectors to be approximately 600 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2012.

2 Benefits include domestic GHG reductions only. In addition, Global Methane Initiative supported projects reduced international methane emissions by approximately 23 MMTCO2

e in 2012. 

3 Societal benefits are based on the social cost of carbon which monetizes the damages associated with an incremental increase in carbon emissions in a given year, including (but not limited to) changes in net 

 agricultural productivity, human health, property damages from increased flood risk, and the value of ecosystem services. $10.5 billion and $2.9 billion of the societal benefits are from CO2 and non-CO2 emissions, 

 respectively. The non-CO2 emissions were converted to CO2-equivalents assuming global warming potentials from the IPCC Second Assessment Report before applying the social cost of CO2. Interagency Working 

 Group on Social Cost of Carbon, United States Government. 2013.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3

TABLE 1. Summary of OAP Climate Protection Partnership Programs’ Benefits and Goals (in Billions of 2012 Dollars and MMTCO2e)

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

(BILLION $)1

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

GHG EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS

(MMTCO2e) ANNUAL GOALS

PROGRAM

ANNUAL 

BENEFITS FOR 

2012

CUMULATIVE 

BENEFITS 

(1993-2012)

ANNUAL 

BENEFITS FOR 

2012

CUMULATIVE 

BENEFITS 

(1993-2012)

2015 GHG 

EMISSIONS 

REDUCTIONS 

(MMTCO2e)

2020 GHG 

EMISSIONS 

REDUCTIONS 

(MMTCO2e)

ENERGY STAR 

Program Total $26.5 $239.3 254.7 1,903.8 217.4 275.1

Products and Homes $17.4 $134.1 132.1 805.1 116.8 145.0

Buildings $7.5 $84.4 89.8 784.9 75.0 93.5

Industrial $1.6 $20.8 32.7 313.7 25.6 36.6

Energy Supply Programs — — 31.6 189.9 44.0 73.3

Methane Programs2 $4.6 $169.9 63.2 856.0 45.1 48.1

FGHG Programs — — 16.1 181.2 15.2 19.1

TOTAL — — 365.6 3,130.9 321.7 415.6

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012

Promoting Energy Efficiency Through ENERGY STAR®

Since 1992, the ENERGY STAR® program has served as a trusted source for voluntary standards and unbiased information to help consumers and 

organizations across the country adopt energy-efficient products and practices as cost-effective strategies for reducing GHG emissions and 

protecting our climate. Through ENERGY STAR, EPA continues to promote energy efficiency across the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. 

In 2012, EPA’s ENERGY STAR efforts helped Americans:

•	 Save more than 337 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh)—over 5 percent of U.S. electricity demand.

•	 Prevent more than 254 million metric tons of GHGs—equivalent to the annual electricity use of 35 million homes.

•	 Save more than $26 billion on their energy bills. 

These benefits have more than quadrupled since 2000 (see Figure 1, pg. 4).

Note: See the Measuring Results chapter (pg. 30) for the methodologies used to calculate annual and cumulative benefits and goals.

1

 The economic benefits for the ENERGY STAR Program represent the present value of the estimated net energy bill savings for consumers and businesses. Net energy bill savings are the 

difference between total consumer energy bill savings and the incremental additional investment in energy efficient technologies and services. The economic benefits for the Methane Programs 

represent the present value of the estimated value of gas mitigated.

2 Program goals include only direct GHG emissions reductions. In 2012, Methane programs reduced 53.7 MMTCO2

e of direct GHG emissions.

 – : Not applicable
CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

Transforming the Energy Supply Marketplace

EPA’s Carbon Dioxide Reducing Energy Supply Programs—the Green 

Power Partnership and the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) 

Partnership—are designed to increase the nation’s supply of clean 

energy and accelerate the adoption of clean energy supply technologies 

throughout the United States. Since 2001, both programs have provided 

technical assistance and recognized significant leadership in end-use 

efficiency and use of renewable energy. By engaging more than 1,400 

partners in the purchase of about 29 billion kWh of green power 

annually and more than 450 partners in the installation of more than 

5,700 megawatts (MW) of new CHP capacity, the energy supply 

programs reduced GHG emissions by over 31 MMTCO2e in 

2012 alone.

Reducing Methane Emissions and Recovering 

an Energy Resource

Methane (CH4) is both a potent GHG and a highly desirable clean fuel. 

EPA’s methane programs continued to reduce emissions—from landfills, 

agriculture (manure management), oil and natural gas systems, and coal 

mines—and develop projects to recover and use the methane whenever 

feasible. The programs avoided GHG emissions of 63.2 MMTCO2e in 

2012, exceeding their reduction goals.

Reducing Fluorinated GHG Emissions

Many of the fluorinated gases—including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), 

hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), 

perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)—are extremely 

powerful and persistent GHGs. The combined efforts of the fluorinated 

GHG partnerships have helped partners maintain their emissions below 

baseline levels. Together in 2012, these programs avoided 16.1 

MMTCO2e of GHG emissions.

FIGURE 1. ENERGY STAR Annual Benefits Have More Than Quadrupled Since 2000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Annual Energy Savings (billion kWh)

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Annual Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Facilitating Cross-Cutting Emissions 

Reductions Programs

In 2012, EPA launched the Center for Corporate Climate Leadership. 

The Center serves as a resource for all organizations interested in 

measuring and managing their GHG emissions, and works with NGO 

partners to recognize superior climate achievements through the Climate 

Leadership Awards. EPA also works with state and local governments 

to overcome barriers that can limit the development of energy efficiency 

and clean energy policies. In 2012, EPA continued to support the 50 

Climate Showcase Communities and promote the lessons learned from 

pilot projects to other communities. 

Honoring Partner Accomplishments

EPA recognized the accomplishments of many outstanding partners in its 

climate protection partnership programs with the following awards:

•	 ENERGY STAR Awards

•	 Green Power Leadership Awards

•	 ENERGY STAR CHP Awards

•	 Landfill Methane Outreach Program Awards

•	 GreenChill Achievement Awards 

A list of the 2012 award winners can be found in Appendix A on 

page 38.

4
5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

FIGURE 2. Annual GHG Emissions Reductions from OAP Climate Partnerships Exceed 365 MMTCO2e in 2012

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Avoided Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Total FGHG Savings

Total CH4

 Savings

Total CO2

 Savings

EPA’s programs continue to advance GHG reduction goals and deliver greater benefits each year. These benefits can only grow as more 

businesses, public sector institutions, households, and others adopt the practices promoted by the climate protection partnerships. This annual 

report presents detailed information on EPA’s 2012 efforts within each of the partnerships mentioned in Table 2, pg. 6. Each individual program 

section includes a program overview, environmental and economic benefits achieved in 2012, and summaries of the major tools and resources 

offered by the program.

EPA is committed to documenting quantifiable program results and using well-established methods to estimate the benefits of its climate 

partnerships. Specific approaches vary by program strategy, sector, availability of data, and market characteristics. These methods are 

documented in the Measuring Results section of the report on page 30.

The 2012 Annual Report
6

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

TABLE 2. Summary of OAP Climate Protection Partnership Programs

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

START 

DATE

NUMBER OF 

PARTNERS

2012 

EMISSIONS 

REDUCTIONS 

(MMTCO2e) WEBSITE

ENERGY STAR

Helps businesses and individuals save money and protect 

our climate through superior energy efficiency in the 

residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

1992 18,000 254.7 www.energystar.gov

Green Power Partnership 

(GPP)

Encourages organizations to use green power as a way 

to reduce the environmental impacts associated with 

conventional electricity use.

2001 1,414

31.6

www.epa.gov/greenpower

Combined Heat & Power 

Partnership (CHP)

Promotes increased use of CHP, a cleaner and more 

efficient alternative to separately produced electricity and 

thermal energy, such as steam and hot water.

2001 457 www.epa.gov/chp

Natural Gas STAR

Collaborative partnership between EPA and oil and natural 

gas companies, designed to spur the adoption of 

cost-effective technologies and practices that reduce 

methane emissions.

1993 121 26.8 www.epa.gov/gasstar

AgSTAR

Provides tools and information to the nation’s agriculture 

industry to reduce methane emissions by promoting the 

use of biogas recovery systems to manage animal waste.

1994 _ 1.8 www.epa.gov/agstar

Landfill Methane 

Outreach Program 

(LMOP)

Provides technical assistance to both smaller landfills 

not covered by EPA regulations and larger, regulated 

operations that are combusting their gas but not yet using 

it as a clean energy source.

1994 1,0541 26.3 www.epa.gov/lmop

Coalbed Methane 

Outreach Program 

(CMOP)

Works cooperatively with the coal mining industry to 

reduce methane emissions from coal mining activities. 1994 _ 8.4 www.epa.gov/cmop

Voluntary Aluminum 

Industrial Partnership 

(VAIP)

Platform for the U.S. primary aluminum industry and EPA 

to reduce perfluorocarbon (PFC) emissions from aluminum 

production. The partnership represents 98% of U.S. 

production capacity.

1995 3 6.2 www.epa.gov/highgwp/

aluminum-pfc

SF6 Reduction 

Partnership for Electric 

Power Systems (EPS)

Shares information with electric power companies 

regarding best practices and cost-effective operational 

improvements to actively address climate change.

1999 83 5.6 www.epa.gov/highgwp/

electricpower-sf6

Responsible Appliance 

Disposal Program (RAD)

Partners with utilities, retailers, and manufacturers to 

help protect the ozone layer and reduce emissions of 

greenhouse gases through environmentally-conscious 

recycling practices.2

2006 50 0.2 www.epa.gov/rad

GreenChill Partnership

Collaborates with the supermarket industry to transition 

to environmentally friendlier refrigerants and adopt green 

refrigeration technologies and best practices.2

2007 54 4.1 www.epa.gov/greenchill

State and Local Climate 

and Energy Program

Assists states in developing policies and programs that 

can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy 

costs, improve air quality and public health, and help 

achieve economic development goals.

1990 _ _ www.epa.gov/

statelocalclimate

Center for Corporate 

Climate Leadership

Serves as a resource center for all organizations looking 

to expand their work in the area of GHG measurement and 

management.

2012 _ _ www.epa.gov/

climateleadership

1 Includes partners and endorsers.

2

 The GHGs addressed by RAD and GreenChill include HFCs. The numbers reflected do not incorporate climate benefits from ozone-depleting substances, which would result in an increase of 

1.6 MMTCO2e for each program.
ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR®

For the past 20 years, EPA has effectively captured and channeled the ingenuity of the marketplace through 

ENERGY STAR®, an energy efficiency partnership program. Climate change continues to be one of the 

nation’s most important environmental challenges, and improving energy efficiency is one of the easiest, 

fastest, and most cost-effective solutions for reducing GHG emissions. Since 1992, the ENERGY STAR 

program has boosted the adoption of energy-efficient products, practices, and services, contributing to 

important health and environmental benefits while strengthening our economy. 

By identifying innovative solutions and expanding consumer education, EPA and its partners help protect 

the climate while making energy efficiency accessible to customers, the public, and their own 

organizations. These committed partners and individuals across the country have tapped the value of 

ENERGY STAR to achieve dramatic energy savings while cumulatively preventing more than 1.9 billion 

metric tons of GHG emissions and saving consumers over $239 billion on utility bills. EPA recognized more 

than 100 partners for their commitment to energy efficiency (see Appendix A, pg. 38).

In 2012 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, prevented more than 254 million metric tons of 

GHG emissions—providing over $9 billion in benefits to society due to reducing damages from climate 

change. Consumers and businesses also reduced their utility bills by more than $26 billion, due to 

investments in energy-efficient technologies and practices that will provide savings for years to come. 

EPA will continue to dismantle barriers to widespread energy efficiency through ENERGY STAR by serving 

as a trusted source of information that helps consumers and businesses make choices that are good for the 

environment and the economy (see Table 3, pg. 8).

7

ENERGY STAR® Certified Products

The national symbol for energy efficiency, ENERGY STAR® helps 

Americans make informed purchasing choices, save money on utility 

bills, and protect the environment. In 2012, Americans purchased about 

280 million products that earned the ENERGY STAR label across more 

than 65 product categories for a cumulative total of more than 4.5 

billion4 ENERGY STAR certified products purchased over the past 20 

years (see Figure 3). Certified products—including appliances, heating 

and cooling equipment, consumer electronics, office equipment, lighting, 

commercial food service, data center equipment, and more—offer 

consumers savings of as much as 70 percent relative to standard models 

while providing the features and functionality they expect.

Achievements in 2012

Keeping ENERGY STAR Requirements Up To Date

EPA added new ENERGY STAR requirements for uninterruptible power 

supplies to the program and finalized updates to nine product 

specifications, including televisions, audio/video, displays, room 

air conditioners, water heaters, vending machines, and commercial 

clothes washers, dishwashers and ice makers (see Tables 4 and 5).

4 Light bulbs are not included in the number of ENERGY STAR certified products purchased.

FIGURE 3. More Than 4.5 Billion ENERGY STAR Certified Products 

Purchased Over the Past 20 Years (Cumulative by Year)

HVAC and Other Lighting* Home Office Equipment

Appliances Home Electronics Office Equipment

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

Units Purchased (Billions)

*Lighting category does not include purchases of light bulbs.

2012
TABLE 3. ENERGY STAR Key Program Indicators, 2000 and 2012

1 Financial benefits are presented in 2012 dollars and present value terms.

2 The cumulative total of product sales across the entire ENERGY STAR Program from 1992, including those from the efforts of the U.S. Department of Energy. The results for energy saved and the 

 resulting environmental and economic benefits represent EPA efforts alone. 

3 Light bulbs are not included in the number of ENERGY STAR Certified Products purchased.

— :Not applicable as metric reflects a new element of the program that did not exist in 2000.

KEY INDICATORS

YEAR OF RESULTS

2000 2012

Annual Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e) 54 > 254

Cumulative Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e) > 160 million > 1.9 billion

Annual Net Energy Bill Savings1 $10 billion > $26 billion

Cumulative Utility Bill Savings1 $19 billion > $239 billion

Annual Societal Benefits1 — > $9 billion

Electricity Savings as % of Total Annual Electricity Demand > 1% > 5%

Brand Awareness 40% > 85%

Cumulative Individuals Taken ENERGY STAR Pledge — > 3 million

ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

Cumulative Certified Products Sold2 600 million > 4.5 billion3

Annual Certified Products Sold 171 million ~ 280 million

Individual Certified Product Models 11,000 > 40,000

Product Categories Eligible for ENERGY STAR 33 > 65

Manufacturing Partners 1,600 > 1,800

Retail Partners 550 > 2,600

ENERGY STAR RESIDENTIAL

Home Builder Partners 1,600 > 3,200

Cumulative Number of Certified New Homes Built 25,000 > 1.4 million

Annual Certified New Homes Built > 13,000 > 100,000

Annual Certified Homes Built as Percent of New U.S. Home Starts < 1% 16%

Cumulative Number of Certified Manufactured Homes — > 50,000

Cumulative Completion of Certified New Multifamily High-Rise Units — > 3,800

Percent Energy Savings Over IECC 2009 Code — at least 15%

Percent Energy Savings Over Typical New Home — 20-30%

Cumulative Number of Home Energy Yardstick Users — > 760,000

Cumulative Number of Home Energy Advisor Users — > 420,000

ENERGY STAR COMMERCIAL

Cumulative Number of Certified Buildings 4,200 > 20,000

Annual Certified Buildings (includes re-labels) — > 8,200

Building Types Eligible for the ENERGY STAR 2 16

Cumulative Number of Buildings Benchmarked in Portfolio Manager > 4,000 > 300,000

Cumulative Square Footage Benchmarked > 400 million > 30 billion

Number of Buildings in Battle of the Buildings — > 3,200

Cumulative Number of Buildings Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR — 500

ENERGY STAR INDUSTRIAL

Cumulative Number of Facilities Certified — 122

Industrial Sectors & Subsectors 0 24

Facility Types Eligible for the ENERGY STAR — 12

Number of Industrial Challenge Sites Achieving 10% Reduction in Energy Intensity in 5 Years or 

Less — 175

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

8
ENERGY STAR

9

Inspiring Consumer Action

EPA engages in public outreach to encourage Americans to make 

energy-efficient changes at home, at work, and in their communities. 

The ENERGY STAR program’s approach highlights both the financial and 

environmental benefits of energy efficiency and provides a platform for 

others to help drive behavior change. Three major initiatives reached 

millions of people through print, broadcast, and social media channels, 

events nationwide, and grassroots-to-national partnerships:

•	 The national Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR 

campaign—supported by hundreds of participating organizations 

(pledge drivers)—continued to ask people to take simple 

energy-saving steps at home that can make a big difference in 

protecting the climate. More than 200,500 individuals took the 

ENERGY STAR Pledge in 2012, representing 1.2 million 

energy-saving actions, 1.6 billion potential pounds of GHG 

emissions prevented, and about 960 million kWh saved. Increased 

use of social (Facebook and Twitter) and online media, along with 

traditional media, spread the ENERGY STAR message to more than 

77 million people.

•	 The 2012 ENERGY STARs Across America initiative spurred 

more than 1,000 ENERGY STAR events (e.g., community and retail), 

engaging millions of Americans in ways to save energy and protect 

the climate.

•	 2012 marked the launch of the Team ENERGY STAR youth 

education initiative, leveraging themes from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

movie to empower young people to help their families save energy 

at home. Working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) 

and DoSomething.org, EPA engaged tens of thousands of families 

with Team ENERGY STAR education, including more than 150 BGCA 

clubs. The initiative also reached millions of others through media 

coverage, e-blasts, and partner events across the country, including 

kids’ events at The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears.

•	 Along with ENERGY STARs Across America, events promoting 

Team ENERGY STAR reached some 500,000 participants.

•	 Social media results totaled nearly 100 million impressions.

•	 Fifty Team ENERGY STAR print public service announcements 

(PSAs) garnered placements representing a total circulation of 

more than 28.5 million potential readers.

Today, over 85 percent of American households recognize the ENERGY 

STAR label, and about 40 percent knowingly purchased an ENERGY 

STAR labeled product in the past year (see Figure 4, pg. 10).5 Of those 

purchasers, more than 70 percent reported the label as influential in their 

purchasing decision; 75 percent reported they are likely to recommend 

products that have earned the ENERGY STAR to friends.

Increasing Stakeholder Engagement

EPA worked with partners to review the current program and evaluate 

ways to continue to strengthen it. In 2012, EPA engaged stakeholders 

on an update to the Vision and Guiding Principles for the ENERGY 

STAR Products program.6 EPA also partnered with the Information 

Technology Industry Association and other stakeholders in a roadmapping exercise to enhance future work on energy efficiency in 

information technology products.

TABLE 4. EPA Maintains Efficiency Standards with Product Specifications and Revisions

PRODUCT TYPE

NUMBER OF PRODUCT 

TYPES

NUMBER OF 

SPECIFICATIONS

COVERING THESE 

PRODUCTS

NUMBER OF 

SPECIFICATION 

CHANGES EFFECTIVE 

OVER LAST 3 YEARS 

(REVISED AND NEW)

NUMBER OF 

SPECIFICATIONS 

COMPLETED IN 2012 

(REVISED AND NEW)

Consumer Electronics 20 7 6 2

Office Equipment 11 5 2 2

HVAC 9 7 7 —

Commercial Food Service 

Equipment 9 8 4 2

Lighting 4 3 3 —

Building Envelope 5 3 1 —

Appliances 8 7 4 3

Other 2 2 1 1

5

For more information, see National Awareness of ENERGY STAR for 2012: Analysis of CEE Household Survey. U.S. EPA 2013b.

6

For more information, see http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/downloads/ENERGY_STAR_Strategic_Vision_and_Guiding_Principles.pdf?20d0-f364.
10

ENERGY STAR Third-Party Certification and 

Compliance Monitoring

Improving the System. After 20 years, the value of the ENERGY STAR 

label is now backed by a robust, state-of-the-art system for third-party 

certification. This system includes a worldwide network of nearly 500 

laboratories testing products, complemented by 22 independent, 

accredited certification organizations reviewing results. As a further 

enhancement in 2012, EPA rolled out a new IT system that allows 

certification bodies to share real-time information and data on ENERGY 

STAR products among certification bodies, EPA, and the public. The 

certified product exchange system increases EPA’s ability to provide 

up-to-date information on ENERGY STAR products. More than 20,000 

products were certified in 2012 and logged in the new system.

Protecting the Consumer Experience. Post-market verification 

testing administered by certification bodies continued to increase 

throughout 2012, while DOE continued to conduct complementary 

verification testing in some product categories. A total of 1,169 models 

underwent verification testing, with an overall compliance rate of 93 

percent. EPA maintained ongoing oversight of the process, disqualifying 

products as appropriate after working with manufacturers through its 

dispute resolution process. 

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2012

EPA extended the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient Pilot for a second year to 

allow further testing through broader implementation by partner 

efficiency programs. Throughout 2012, EPA also evaluated the pilot, 

monitoring indicators such as increases in the number of recognized 

models on the market, the potential to leverage private sector activities 

to increase visibility and consumer understanding of the ENERGY STAR 

Most Efficient designation. By the end of the year, this initiative became 

a permanent part of the program.

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

In 2012, EPA updated ENERGY STAR specifications for three high-demand product types: computer monitors, televisions, and audio/video 

equipment. The updated requirements reward advances in products that are now smarter thanks to network connectivity and more intuitive 

systems for powering down to consume even less energy when not in use. At the same time, they kept up with innovations such as higher 

resolution in displays and larger sizes in TVs. If all the products sold in these three updated categories were ENERGY STAR certified, the 

combined savings would grow to more than $2.5 billion annually, preventing the GHG emissions equivalent to the annual electricity use of 

nearly 2 million homes.

ENERGY STAR for Displays and Consumer Electronics

FIGURE 4. Awareness of ENERGY STAR Growing in the United 

States

Unaided Awareness Aided Awareness

2012

Note: When a consumer recognizes the ENERGY STAR label before it is shown, it is defined 

as “unaided awareness.” When a consumer recognizes the ENERGY STAR label after being 

shown the label, it is defined as “aided awareness.” 

Source: National Awareness of ENERGY STAR for 2012: Analysis of CEE Household Survey. 

U.S. EPA 2013b.
ENERGY STAR

11

PRODUCT CATEGORY YEAR INTRODUCED (AND REVISED) STATUS OF ACTIVITY IN 2012

2012 NEW SPECIFICATIONS

Uninterruptible Power Supplies 2012 Completed. Took effect August 1, 2012.

2012 REVISIONS COMPLETED

Audio/Video 1999 (2003, 2009, 2010, 2013) Revised specification to take effect May 1, 2013.

Clothes Washers 

(small commercial) 1997 (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013) Revised specification to take effect February 1, 2013.

Commercial Dishwashers 2007 (2013) Revised specification to take effect February 1, 2013.

Commercial Ice Makers 2008 (2013) Revised specification to take effect February 1, 2013. 

Displays 1992 (1995, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2010, 

2013) Revised specification to take effect June 1, 2013. 

Residential Water Heaters 2009 (2013) Revised specification to take effect July 1, 2013.

Room Air Conditioners 1996 (2001, 2003, 2005, 2013) Revised specification to take effect October 1, 2013. 

Televisions 1998 (2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 

2013) Revised specification to take effect June 1, 2013.

Vending Machines 2004 (2006, 2013) Revised specification to take effect February 1, 2013.

2012 REVISIONS IN PROGRESS

Battery Charging Systems 2006 In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Commercial Ovens 2009 In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Commercial Refrigerators 2002 (2004, 2006, 2008) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Computers 1992 (1995, 1999, 2004, 2008) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Imaging Equipment 1992 (1995, 2000, 2007, 2009) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Lamps 1999 (2002, 2008, 2009) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Residential Refrigerators/Freezers 1992 (1995, 1999, 2004, 2008) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Roofs 1998 (2001, 2003, 2007, 2009) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Servers 2009 In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Telephony 2001 (2009, 2010) In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

Water Coolers 2000 In process, expected to be complete in 2013.

NEW SPECIFICATIONS IN DEVELOPMENT

Commercial Water Heaters New specification to be completed in 2013.

Data Center Storage New specification to be completed in 2013.

Laboratory Grade Refrigerators 

and Freezers New specification to be completed in 2014.

Pool Pumps New specification to be completed in 2013.

Small Network Equipment New specification to be completed in 2013.

TABLE 5. ENERGY STAR Product Specifications Added, Revised, and In Progress
12

7 For more information, see U.S. EPA 2013a.

ENERGY STAR® in the Residential Sector

More than 17 percent of the GHGs emitted in the United States are attributed to the energy we use to heat, cool, and light our homes, as well as 

power the appliances and electronics in them.7 By making energy-efficient choices in the construction of new homes and the improvement of 

existing homes, American homeowners, renters, homebuilders, and home remodelers can lower utility bills while helping to protect the environment. 

Through ENERGY STAR®, EPA offers an array of tools and resources to households and the housing industry to cost-effectively increase the energy 

efficiency of the nation’s housing stock. 

Achievements in 2012

ENERGY STAR Certified Homes

More than 1.4 Million New Homes Have Earned the ENERGY 

STAR. In 2012 alone, more than 100,000 homes were constructed to 

meet ENERGY STAR requirements8 (see Figure 5), representing 16 

percent of new home starts (see Figure 6). Since 1995, some 27,000 

builder partners nationwide have helped American homeowners save 

more than $4 billion on their energy bills and reduce GHG emissions by 

over 18 MMTCO2e. In 2012, families living in ENERGY STAR 

certified homes saved in excess of $500 million on their utility bills, 

while avoiding GHG emissions equivalent to the electricity use of more 

than 400,000 homes in one year.

FIGURE 5. More Than 1.4 Million Homes Nationwide Have Earned 

the ENERGY STAR Label 

FIGURE 6. 2012 Market Share for ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes by State

< 5% 5 – 10%

Increasing Market Percentage

11 – 15% > 16%

Number of ENERGY STAR Certified Homes

Cumulative ENERGY STAR Homes Built

Annual ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Built

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

0

*The decrease in the number of homes certified reflects the overall decrease in the total number of homes built.

2012

1,600,000

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

8 For more information, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_v3_guidelines.
ENERGY STAR

13

ENERGY STAR for New Multifamily High-Rise Buildings. Through 

2012, 40 buildings with more than 3,800 individual units have been 

certified as ENERGY STAR through the Multifamily High-Rise 

program.9 In 2012 alone, 16 buildings housing over 900 multifamily 

high-rise units were certified. New and substantially rehabilitated 

multifamily high-rise buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR certification 

are designed to be at least 15 percent more efficient than the 

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning 

Engineers (ASHRAE) energy use standard.

Making Affordable Housing More Energy Efficient. In 2012, EPA 

continued working with a variety of stakeholders to improve the energy 

efficiency of the nation’s affordable housing stock, while reducing the 

utility bills of families living in those homes. Based on data from the 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), more than 

7,500 ENERGY STAR certified homes were built in FY2012 using public 

funding from HUD’s HOME program, a 34 percent increase over FY2011.10 

In 2012, HUD and EPA completed their collaboration on developing 

alternate ENERGY STAR compliance guidance for housing projects 

undergoing gut rehabilitation,11 which typically face challenges unique 

to existing housing that make it difficult for those projects to meet all of 

EPA’s ENERGY STAR requirements. EPA also partners with Habitat for 

Humanity’s U.S. affiliates to promote the construction of ENERGY STAR 

certified homes. In 2012, more than 600 Habitat for Humanity affiliates 

built nearly 1,700 homes to ENERGY STAR specifications. In addition, 

nearly 4,000 ENERGY STAR certified manufactured homes were built 

nationwide, for a cumulative total of more than 50,000.

9 For more information, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_multifamily_highrise.

10 Given in fiscal year (FY), not calendar year, due to data availability; fiscal year is from October 1 to September 30.

11 For more information, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_v3_sector_specific_policies.

ENERGY STAR Home Improvement

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES). Through a 

network of 50 sponsoring partners—such as state and local 

governments, utilities, and nonprofit organizations—and more than 

1,900 participating contractors, HPwES offers homeowners in 34 states 

a comprehensive, whole-house approach to making energy efficiency 

improvements (see Figure 7).12 During 2012, more than 78,000 homes 

were retrofitted through HPwES programs, for a cumulative total 

exceeding 275,000 homes. Also in 2012, nearly 100 participating 

contractors were recognized with the ENERGY STAR Century Club Award 

for improving more than 100 homes each. The HPwES program is 

managed by the U.S. DOE, with support from EPA.

Energy Efficiency Guidance and Tools for Consumers. Through 

2012, nearly 1.2 million consumers used EPA’s online Home Energy 

Yardstick and Home Energy Advisor to assess their homes’ energy use 

and get recommendations to help reduce utility bills and improve 

comfort.13 EPA enhanced the Home Energy Yardstick in 2012 to 

incorporate “Green Button” functionality, which enables quicker and 

more accurate input of the consumer’s utility data into the tool, making it 

easier to receive the home’s efficiency score.

12 For more information, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=hpwes_profiles.showSplash&s=mega.

13 For more information, see https://www.energystar.gov/yardstick and http://www.energystar.gov/homeadvisor.

FIGURE 7. Home Performance With ENERGY STAR Spreads Across the Country in 2012

States with Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Programs

*The green shaded states above have Home Performance with ENERGY STAR programs. However, the programs within each state may 

only operate within a certain region of that state. 
14

ENERGY STAR® in the Commercial Sector

Through the ENERGY STAR® program, thousands of American business owners—including retailers, hoteliers, and grocers—along with heads of 

major organizations such as state and local governments, school districts, universities, hospitals, and congregations, are using ENERGY STAR tools 

and resources to help realize significant energy savings that prevent GHG emissions and contribute to meeting the ambitious goals set in the 

President’s Climate Action Plan. The accomplishments below demonstrate the power of the ENERGY STAR partnership to bring together 

governments, private sector businesses, utilities, architects, and service and product providers to reduce GHG emissions.

Achievements in 2012

Benchmarking Shows Big Savings. Unveiling the largest U.S. 

building energy benchmarking data analysis to date, EPA examined more 

than 35,000 buildings that consistently used the ENERGY STAR Portfolio 

Manager measurement tool from 2008 to 2011. The buildings showed 

an average of 7 percent energy savings and 6 percent GHG emissions 

reductions over three years—with the buildings that were initially the 

lowest performers making the greatest improvements (see Figure 8). In 

addition to that analysis, EPA released a series of ENERGY STAR 

Portfolio Manager Data Trends and Fact Sheets in 2012 (see Figure 9). 

ENERGY STAR Certification for Top Performance. By the end of 

2012, more than 8,200 buildings became ENERGY STAR certified, for a 

total exceeding 20,000 facilities (see Figure 10). ENERGY STAR buildings 

emit 35 percent fewer GHG emissions and use 35 percent less energy 

than average buildings.

FIGURE 9. Cumulative Square Feet Benchmarked in Portfolio 

Manager

FIGURE 8. Energy Savings from Benchmarking

*Only buildings that can receive a 1-100 energy performance score are included in the data 

from 2001 to 2008. Beginning in 2009, buildings for which there is not yet a 1-100 score 

available were included in the count of total buildings benchmarked.

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

Square Feet Benchmarked (millions)

2011

35,000

2012

ENERGY USE

Average Weather Normalized 

Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)

2008 2009 2010 2011

300

200

100

0

267 258 252 248

Baseline

7%

savings

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

Significant Portfolio-Wide Savings. More than 270 leading 

companies and school districts have been recognized as ENERGY STAR 

Leaders for portfolio-wide energy savings, a 30-percent growth over 

2011. Some organizations earned recognition for reducing energy use up 

to 60 percent. Energy management strategies—such as executive 

commitment; active involvement of staff, tenants, or students; and 

investment in new technologies—were integral to their success.

Biggest National Building Competition Yet. The 2012 ENERGY 

STAR Battle of the Buildings marked the largest participant field yet 

in the competition’s 3-year history. An elementary school in Bloomfield, 

New Jersey, won with a 52 percent reduction in energy use intensity. 

More than 85 buildings in the competition demonstrated energy use 

reductions of 20 percent or more. In addition, nearly 400 competitors 

also tracked and reduced their water consumption with help from EPA’s 

WaterSense program.14

14 For more information, see http://www.epa.gov/watersense/.
ENERGY STAR

15

15 For more information, see U.S. Census Bureau 2010, 2008 Annual Survey of Manufactures.

ENERGY STAR® in the Industrial Sector

The industrial sector is a vital part of the U.S. economy. Manufacturing goods are valued at nearly $5.5 trillion, contribute over 11 percent to the U.S. 

GDP, and provide more than 12.7 million jobs paying an average of $47,500 annually.15 This sector also generates more than a quarter of the nation’s 

annual GHG emissions.16 Through ENERGY STAR®, EPA enables the industrial sector to improve energy efficiency within its operations and 

cost-effectively reduce GHG emissions by removing energy management barriers.

Achievements in 2012

Improving Performance—The ENERGY STAR Focus 

Industries

EPA works closely with specific industries to provide advanced tools that 

help companies manage energy use themselves and build long-term, 

productive energy programs (see Table 6, pg. 16). In 2012, the number of 

ENERGY STAR Focus Industries grew to 24 with the addition of 

integrated steel production. 

New Measures of Plant Energy Performance. Objective 

measurement of plant energy performance is key to improving industrial 

energy management. Most companies are unable to assess a plant’s 

energy performance relative to their industry and do not know if a plant 

is meeting its efficiency potential. ENERGY STAR plant energy 

performance indicators (EPIs) overcome that barrier by empowering 

companies to evaluate good energy performance within the industry and 

set strong performance goals for their plants. In 2012, EPA released draft 

EPIs for testing to the bread and roll baking, iron casting, lithographic 

printing, and ready mixed concrete production industries. EPA also 

completed a new EPI for gauging the energy performance of integrated 

pulp and paper mills, and revised and reissued the wet corn mill EPI.

New Guidance for Improving Energy Efficiency in Industrial 

Sectors. ENERGY STAR energy guides identify ways to improve energy 

efficiency in a specific industry. In 2012, EPA issued energy guides for 

commercial bakeries and concrete production. The growing library of 

energy guides continued to help industrial managers identify areas 

for improvement. 

FIGURE 10. More Than 20,000 Buildings Have Earned the ENERGY STAR Through 2012

(Number of Buildings)

< 35 35 – 99 100 – 299 > 300

Increasing Number of Certified Buildings

16 For more information, see U.S. EPA 2013a.
16

Assistance for Regulated Industry. EPA provided guidance through 

ENERGY STAR to partners and the regulated community on boiler 

efficiency and tune-ups to support EPA’s recent Boiler Maximum 

Achievable Control Technology (MACT) regulations, highlighting 

ENERGY STAR resources and strategies for success. 

Landmark Gains Achieved in Wet Corn Mill Energy Performance. 

EPA re-benchmarked the energy performance of U.S. wet corn mills as 

part of the regular update process for EPIs. That benchmarking revealed 

dramatic improvements in energy efficiency across the wet corn milling 

industry, including a 4.3 percent improvement in energy intensity (see 

Figure 11). The industry reduced annual energy use by 6.7 trillion Btu, 

which can be equated to eliminating 470,000 metric tons (or 0.5 million 

metric tons) of GHG emissions. 

Building Capacity to Enable Greater Industry 

Participation

Key alliances and tools help EPA and its partners build capacity in a 

cost-effective manner.

ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry Continued to Grow. EPA’s 

ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry helps manufacturers improve 

the energy efficiency of their sites by 10 percent within 5 years or less 

through the fundamental energy management practices of establishing 

baselines, setting reduction goals, and tracking and managing energy 

use over time. By the close of 2012, 704 sites took the Challenge, and 

175 achieved the goal, saving over 33 trillion Btu.

TABLE 6. EPA ENERGY STAR Industrial Focuses on Energy

FOCUS

PEER EXCHANGE 

NETWORK

INDUSTRIAL 

ENERGY GUIDE

ENERGY PERFORMANCE 

INDICATOR

ENERGY STAR 

CERTIFICATION

Cement Manufacturing ● Published Released 2006 , Updated 2011

Concrete Manufacturing ● Published Draft under review

Corn Refining ● Published Released 2006, Updated 2011

Dairy ● Published

• Ice Cream Draft under review

• Fluid Milk Draft under review

• Cheesemaking Draft under review

Food Processing ● Published

• Bread and Rolls Draft under review

• Cookies & Crackers Released 2011

• Juice Released 2009

• Frozen Fried Potato Products Released 2009

• Tomato Products Draft under review

Glass Manufacturing ● Published

• Fiberglass Draft under review

• Flat Glass Released 2009

• Container Glass Released 2009

Metal Casting ● In progress Draft under review

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing ● Published Released 2006

• Auto Assembly Updated 2010

Petrochemical Manufacturing ● Published Draft under review

Petroleum Industry ● Published Private System 

Recognized by EPA

Pharmaceuticals ● Published Released 2010

Printing ● In Progress Draft under review

Pulp & Paper ● Published

• Pulp Mill Released 2012

• Integrated Mill Released 2012

Steel

• Mini Mills ● Published Draft under review

• Integrated Draft under review

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT
ENERGY STAR

17

FIGURE 11. Improvement in U.S. Wet Corn Mill Energy Performance, 1997-2009

Partnerships with National Collaborations Expanded Reach.

EPA supported the development and implementation of the President’s 

Executive Order 13624, “Accelerating Investment in Industrial Energy 

Efficiency” to extend ENERGY STAR resources to new portions of the 

industrial market.17 Further, EPA collaboration with national-level 

industrial groups increased industry’s exposure to ENERGY STAR 

resources. For example, the American Baking Association and the 

National Ready Mixed Concrete Association launched campaigns to 

promote the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry to their members.

Continuing to Earn ENERGY STAR Certification

In 2012, 62 plants earned the ENERGY STAR certification by achieving 

energy performance in the top quartile nationally, bringing the 

cumulative number of certified plants to 122. The cement and auto 

assembly sectors earned the greatest number of certifications among the 

industrial sectors. 

17 For more information, see http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-09-05/pdf/2012-22030.pdf

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

ENERGY Performance Score

75

70

275

80

90

100

95 115 135 155 175 195 215 235 255

2009 Distribution of U.S. Wet Corn Refining Mill Energy Efficiency

1997 Distribution of U.S. Web Corn Refining Mill Energy Efficiency

Thousand BTU per Bushel
18

CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCING ENERGY SUPPLY 

PROGRAMS

EPA launched the Green Power Partnership (GPP) and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Partnership in 

2001 to facilitate the growth of green power generation and environmentally beneficial CHP across the 

nation.

For the past 11 years, both programs have made remarkable progress in dismantling market barriers to 

green power purchasing and CHP use by helping hundreds of partners find cost-effective solutions to 

meet their energy needs. By offering technical resources, developing nationally accepted standards, 

providing access to expertise, and recognizing environmental leadership, these clean energy supply 

programs continually bring value to partners and to the broader clean energy community through program 

websites and public webinars.

In turn, partner investments in clean energy yield significant environmental benefits by reducing GHG 

emissions and a variety of air pollutants. CHP and GPP partners are transforming the marketplace by 

increasing the local, regional, and national demand for clean energy supply technologies. The programs’ 

achievements have been impressive. In 2012 alone, EPA’s energy supply programs reduced GHG 

emissions by 31.6 MMTCO2e (see Figure 12).

 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

GHG Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

2011 2012

35

FIGURE 12. Annual GHG Emissions Reductions by the Carbon Dioxide Reducing Energy Supply Programs

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT
CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCING ENERGY SUPPLY PROGRAMS

GREEN POWER PARTNERSHIP (GPP)

EPA’s Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power to reduce the environmental impacts 

associated with purchased electricity use and, in so doing, demonstrate their environmental leadership.18 EPA’s Green Power partners include a wide 

variety of forward-thinking organizations, such as Fortune 500® companies; small and medium-sized businesses; local, state, and federal 

government agencies; and colleges and universities. The voluntary commitments of these partners to promote green power made 2012 an 

exceptional year for EPA’s Green Power Partnership.

Achievements in 2012

•	 Added 314 new partners, bringing the total to more than 1,400. 

These organizations have committed to buying about 29 billion kWh 

of green power annually—enough electricity to run more than two 

million average American homes for one year (see Figure 13).

•	 Expanded efforts to connect Green Power partners with new, 

not-yet-built renewable energy projects that may align with their 

energy, environmental, and financial objectives. From a total of 

22 proposals submitted on behalf of 15 project developers, EPA 

selected seven projects to present to partners during a networking 

webinar.

•	 Acknowledged 71 partners in EPA’s College & University 

2011–2012 Green Power Challenge. EPA ranked the green power 

purchases of individual schools against others within their athletic 

conferences, and calculated cumulative purchases among 

competing conferences. The Pac-12 conference topped the list with 

the largest total purchase and earned recognition as the 

2011–2012 Collective Conference Champion.

•	 Presented 24 Green Power Leadership Awards to top purchasers 

of green power and onsite renewable power systems, and three 

awards to green power suppliers (see Appendix A, pg. 39).

•	 Organized 10 webinars on important topics such as innovative 

financing and procurement strategies for renewable energy 

projects, the needs of colleges/universities and hotels, and 

community-level approaches.

Innovative municipalities across the country are partnering with EPA to become Green Power Communities (GPCs). Towns, villages, cities, 

counties, and tribal governments become GPCs when local governments, businesses, and residents collectively buy green power in amounts 

that meet or exceed EPA’s GPP community purchase requirements. Between 2004 and 2012, 39 communities mobilized to reduce their carbon 

footprints by buying and using green power. Their purchases helped avoid annual CO2 emissions equivalent to those from the electricity used in 

more than 600,000 average American homes.

The participating communities added close to one billion kWh of green power to the overall GPC total during the 2011–2012 Green Power 

Community Challenge. Washington, DC, won the Challenge title by using the most green power annually (more than one billion kWh), while 

Oak Park, Illinois, had the highest green power percentage of total electricity use (close to 92 percent).

Green Power—Energizing Communities Across the Country

FIGURE 13. Green Power Purchased and GHG Emissions Reductions

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

kWh Purchased

MMTCO2e Reductions

2011 2012 0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Annual GHG Emissions Reductions ( MMTCO e)

2

Annual Purchases by EPA Partners (Billion kWh)

0

2

4

6

10

12

14

16

8

35 18

19

18 For additional information on GPP, see http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/.
20

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PARTNERSHIP (CHP)

EPA’s CHP Partnership encourages the use of CHP, which is cleaner than separately produced electricity and thermal energy, such as steam and hot 

water. CHP projects are up to 80 percent more efficient than traditional separate heat and power generation, and they can also reduce reliance on 

grid-supplied electricity, increase the reliability of the U.S. electricity supply, and lessen the need to build new transmission and 

distribution capacity.19

To promote increased use of CHP, EPA works closely with energy users; the CHP industry; state, local, and tribal governments; and other stakeholders 

to develop new CHP projects and promote their environmental, economic, and other benefits. Since its inception, the CHP Partnership has made a 

significant impact on U.S. CHP capacity, annually assisting up to 54 percent of the new CHP capacity additions.

Achievements in 2012

•	 Assisted in the deployment of more than 156 MW of new CHP 

nationwide (out of 869 MW of total new nationwide capacity), 

bringing the cumulative impact of the program to over 5,700 MW of 

new CHP (see Table 7).

•	 Welcomed 59 new partners, bringing the total to more than 450.

•	 Responded to 76 technical assistance requests from organizations 

across the country such as K-12 school districts, hospitals, 

manufacturers, federal agencies, and CHP project developers. 

•	 Assisted energy managers considering CHP by introducing a 

calculator to evaluate the potential economic feasibility of a 

prospective CHP system, based on user-supplied data (or

facility-specific default values when user-supplied data are 

not available).

19 For additional information on CHP, see www.epa.gov/chp/basic/efficiency.html.

TABLE 7. U.S. CHP Capacity and Partnership Market Share

YEAR

TOTAL NEW CHP 

CAPACITY (MW)

NEW CHP CAPACITY 

CREDITABLE TO THE CHP 

PARTNERSHIP (MW)

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

TOTAL

5,580

3,953

3,717

1,715

521

628

428

721

686

618

869

19,436

620 (11%)

516 (13%)

1,963 (53%)

821 (48%)

140 (27%)

342 (54%)

190 (44%)

373 (52%)

268 (39%)

312 (50%)

156 (18%)

5,701 (29%)

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

•	 Issued a paper presenting a recommended methodology for 

calculating fuel and CO2 emissions savings from CHP compared 

to separate heat and power (i.e., obtaining electricity from the 

grid and producing thermal energy using an onsite boiler or other 

source). The paper is intended for policymakers, project developers, 

energy managers, and others who need to quantify the fuel and CO2

emissions savings of CHP projects.

•	 Added new features to the CHP Emissions Calculator including 

calculation of CO2e, CH4, and N2O emissions; and fuel-specific CO2, 

CH4, and N2O factors used in the Greenhouse Gas 

Reporting Program.20

•	 Published a fact sheet on waste heat to power systems.21

•	 Supported the development and implementation of the President’s 

Executive Order 13624 on “Accelerating Investment in Industrial 

Energy Efficiency” issued in August 2012.22

•	 Honored two highly efficient CHP projects with ENERGY STAR CHP 

Awards: a 7.5 MW system at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat 

Center Twentynine Palms, California, and a 5 MW system at the 

Fort Bragg U.S. Army Garrison, North Carolina (see Appendix A, 

pg. 39). 

20 For additional information, see http://www.epa.gov/chp/basic/calculator.html.

21 For additional information, see http://www.epa.gov/chp/documents/waste_heat_power.pdf.

22 For additional information, see http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-09-05/pdf/2012-22030.pdf.
METHANE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS

21

METHANE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS

Methane is an excellent candidate for reducing the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere and 

providing a clean energy resource in the process. Methane is the second most significant GHG behind

CO2 by annual emissions, and currently contributes one third of all anthropogenic (man-made) GHG 

emissions to climate change.23 It also has a relatively short atmospheric lifetime of about 9 to 15 years, 

which means that reductions made today will yield positive results in the near term.24 And unlike other 

GHGs, methane is an important energy resource that allows for cost-effective mitigation. There are many 

opportunities to recover and re-use or sell methane from the agriculture (manure management), coal 

mining, oil and gas systems, and landfill sectors.

EPA has established partnership programs with industry to reduce methane emissions from some of the 

largest sources by encouraging the recovery and use of methane as energy. EPA’s programs—Natural 

Gas STAR, AgSTAR, the Coalbed Methane Outreach Program, and the Landfill Methane Outreach 

Program—strive to remove market barriers and increase investment in cost-effective emissions 

reduction technologies and practices. Together, these programs reduced U.S. emissions by 63.2 

MMTCO2e in 2012 (see Table 1, pg. 3).

NATURAL GAS STAR PROGRAM

Natural Gas STAR is a flexible, collaborative partnership between EPA and oil and natural gas companies, designed to spur the adoption of 

cost-effective technologies and practices that reduce methane emissions. By working with both domestic and international companies involved in oil 

production and all sectors of the natural gas supply chain, Natural Gas STAR helps lower methane emissions, improve operational efficiency, 

increase natural gas supply, and contribute to a healthier global environment. 

The program offers a full array of tools and resources—including technology transfer workshops, Lessons Learned studies, Partner Reported 

Opportunities fact sheets, technical reports and studies, and peer networking fora—to assist companies in implementing a wide range of 

cost-effective best management practices and technologies to reduce emissions.25

25 For additional information on Natural Gas STAR and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/gasstar/accomplishments/index.html

Achievements in 2012

•	 Reduced U.S. methane emissions by 26.8 MMTCO2e through efforts 

undertaken and reported by domestic partners for 2012 (see Figure 

14), achieving cumulative program reductions of 469.4 MMTCO2e 

since 1990.

•	 Welcomed 3 new partners bringing the total to 121 domestic and 

international partners.

•	 Hosted domestic technology transfer workshops to promote 

technologies and practices that reduce methane emissions from 

natural gas production and distribution.

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

0

10

20

30

40

50

Methane Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

FIGURE 14. Natural Gas STAR Annual Methane Emissions Reductions

23 For more information, see U.S. EPA 2013a.

24 For more information, see IPCC 1996.
22

AgSTAR PROGRAM

Biogas recovery systems help reduce GHG emissions by enabling the recovery and use of methane from animal manure and other organic wastes. A 

biogas recovery system is typically anchored by a manure digester that captures and combusts biogas to produce electricity, heat, or hot water. In 

addition to avoiding methane emissions, digester systems also reduce local water and air pollution, act as a source of renewable energy, provide 

rural economic development, better manage nutrients, and generate other value-added products (e.g., manure fibers) that improve farm revenues.

Through the AgSTAR Program, EPA partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collaborate with the nation’s agriculture industry to 

reduce methane emissions by promoting the use of biogas recovery systems to manage animal waste. EPA offers an array of tools and information 

designed to assist livestock producers in evaluating and implementing methane recovery systems.26

•	 Reduced direct methane emissions from approximately 200 

livestock farms by 1.4 MMTCO2e and avoided approximately 0.4 

MMTCO2e in fossil fuel emissions, producing total emission 

reductions of 1.8 MMTCO2e in 2012 (see Figure 15). Cumulatively, 

anaerobic digesters on livestock farms have reduced emissions by 

9.7 MMTCO2e in the past decade. 

•	 Organized several education and outreach events, including a 

virtual renewable energy field day and a national conference.

•	 Developed new technical resources for farmers, industry members, 

and other stakeholders.

26 For additional information on AgSTAR and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/agstar/about-us/accomplish.html.

FIGURE 15. AgSTAR Annual Methane Emissions Reductions 

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 0

1

2

Methane Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

.5

1.5

LANDFILL METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM (LMOP)

Landfill gas (LFG) energy projects prevent direct methane emissions from landfills and reduce indirect CO2 emissions by displacing energy 

generated from the burning of fossil fuels with LFG, an alternative energy source. Through the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), EPA 

provides landfill owners and operators a suite of tools and technical resources to help them overcome the obstacles to developing LFG energy 

projects. LMOP provides technical assistance to both smaller landfills not covered by EPA regulations and larger, regulated operations that are 

combusting their gas but not yet using it as a clean energy source.27 Annually, EPA recognizes outstanding partners for their work on LFG energy 

projects. See the full list of 2012 winners in Appendix A, page 40.

•	 Reduced methane emissions from hundreds of U.S. landfills and 

avoided CO2 emissions totaling approximately 26.3 MMTCO2e in 

2012 (see Figure 16). Over the past 18 years, LMOP has assisted 

580 LFG energy projects and the country reached 619 currently 

operational projects in 2012. The 580 LMOP-assisted projects have 

collectively reduced and avoided over 215 MMTCO2e since the 

program began.

•	 Welcomed 54 new partners and endorsers, bringing the total to 

more than 1,050 LMOP partners and endorsers.

•	 Assisted partners in implementing a variety of projects that use LFG 

for energy projects across the United States including Anchorage, 

Alaska; La Crosse County, Wisconsin; St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; 

and Hickory Ridge Landfill, Georgia.

•	 Conducted outreach including supporting ribbon cuttings and 

participating in and hosting conferences, workshops, and webinars 

to promote methane mitigation activities.

FIGURE 16. LMOP Annual Methane Emissions Reductions

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 0

5

10

15

20

25

Methane Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

30

27 For additional information on LMOP and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/lmop/.

Achievements in 2012

Achievements in 2012
METHANE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS

29 For additional information on CMOP and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/cmop/. 30 23 Emission reductions are draft, pending the final 2012 CMM Inventory Numbers.

COALBED METHANE OUTREACH PROGRAM (CMOP)

The Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) strives to reduce methane emissions from coal mining activities. Coal mine methane (CMM) is a 

potent GHG and can be an explosive hazard inside mines. But if CMM is recovered safely and used for energy, it is a valuable, clean-burning fuel 

source. CMOP collaborates with coal companies and related industries to lower emissions through the development of environmentally beneficial, 

cost-effective CMM recovery and utilization projects.

The program primarily focuses on mitigating U.S. emissions from underground coal mines, both from degasification systems and from mine 

ventilation systems, as well as from abandoned (closed) underground mines and active surface mines. CMOP provides high-quality, mine-specific 

information and technical assistance to the coal mining industry and project developers, including identifying project sites, analyzing and 

demonstrating technologies, conducting mine-specific project pre-feasibility assessments and market evaluations, and analyzing financial incentives 

and regulatory hurdles.29

FIGURE 17. CMOP Annual Methane Emissions Reductions

•	 There are 26 operating coal mine methane projects in the U.S.: 

14 using drained gas from active underground mines, 2 mitigating 

dilute ventilation air methane (VAM) at active underground mines, 

and 10 using abandoned mine methane gas. 

•	 CMOP reduced CMM emissions by 8.4 MMTCO2e in 2012 (see 

Figure 17),30 and since the program began in 1994, cumulative 

reductions are 140.2 MMTCO2e.

•	 Developed new technical reports and outreach materials for coal 

companies, project developers, and industry stakeholders.

•	 Continued to proactively engage U.S. coal mines and industry 

representatives to stimulate further domestic CMM 

project development. 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 0

2

4

6

8

10

Methane Emissions Reductions (MMTCO2e)

12

28 For additional information on GMI and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/globalmethane/accompreport.htm.

The Global Methane Initiative (GMI) is a voluntary, multilateral partnership that aims to reduce methane emissions 

and advance the recovery and use of methane as a valuable clean energy source. GMI created an international 

capacity building network to help develop strategies, transform markets, and remove barriers to methane reduction 

project development in partner countries such as Argentina, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, 

Ukraine, and Vietnam. The United States has been a leader in the GMI from the beginning.28

Global Methane Initiative

•	 The U.S. provided technical, financial, or capacity-building support to more than 600 global methane projects that reduced methane 

emissions by approximately 23 MMTCO2e in 2012. The U.S. worked with all 42 GMI partner countries with successes ranging from 

innovative agriculture anaerobic digestion projects in China and coal mine methane inventories in Mongolia, to an international best 

practices guide for LFG energy projects and undertaking field emission measurement studies in the oil and gas sector in Colombia.

•	 During the year, U.S. agencies held more than 20 workshops and technical demonstrations in more than a dozen partner countries and 

undertook numerous site visits, measurement studies, study tours, and technology demonstrations.

•	 Within the past year, renewed international interest in reducing emissions of certain air pollutants led to the development of the Climate 

and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) that targets global emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) such as methane. CCAC will provide 

an additional venue for the United States to share its methane reduction expertise and capacity building experience garnered through GMI. 

EPA has been supporting additional efforts to reduce methane from the municipal solid waste and oil and gas sectors via CCAC.

Achievements in 2012

Achievements in 2012
31 For more information, see IPCC 1996.

FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS 

REDUCTION PROGRAMS

EPA’s fluorinated greenhouse gas (FGHG) partnership programs continue to make significant reductions 

in potent GHG emissions. The fluorinated gases—including perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons 

(HFCs), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)—are in several cases byproducts of certain 

U.S. industrial operations. HFCs, on the other hand, are principally used as replacements for GHGs that also 

deplete the ozone layer. Ozone-depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and 

hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), are used in refrigerators, air conditioners, insulating foams, and other 

products, but are being phased out globally under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the 

Ozone Layer.

Through its partnership programs, EPA works closely with participating industries to identify cost-effective 

emissions reduction opportunities, recognize industry accomplishments, and facilitate the transition toward 

environmentally friendlier technologies and chemicals and best environmental practices. Although FGHGs 

account for a small portion of total U.S. GHG emissions, they have very high global warming potentials 

(GWPs); emissions on a per-facility basis tend to be high. FGHGs trap substantially more heat in the 

atmosphere than does CO2 on a per-mass basis, and some can have much longer atmospheric lifetimes 

than CO2.

31

The combined efforts of the FGHG partnerships have helped partners maintain their emissions 

substantially below baseline levels—an impressive achievement given the sizable growth in many of these 

industries. In 2012, FGHG emissions reductions across the partnership programs totaled 16.1 MMTCO2e as 

EPA continues to support partners in their efforts to improve industrial processes and share 

best practices.32

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

24 32 These are emissions reductions from voluntary programs and do not include reductions from regulatory programs such as the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.
FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GAS PROGRAMS

FIGURE 18. VAIP Annual Emissions Reductions

SF6 EMISSIONS REDUCTION PARTNERSHIP FOR ELECTRIC 

POWER SYSTEMS (EPS)

SF6 is the most potent and persistent GHG—it traps 23,900 times more infrared radiation than the equivalent amount of CO2.

35 Used primarily by 

electric utilities, SF6 is a gaseous dielectric for high-voltage circuit breakers and gas-insulated substations. Utilities nationwide have the opportunity 

to make a big difference in the nation’s emissions of SF6. EPA partners with 83 electric power companies through the voluntary SF6 Emissions 

Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systems. EPA works with the industry to share information about best management practices and 

cost-effective operational improvements, such as detecting and repairing leaks, using recycling equipment, and educating and training employees. In 

addition to providing a means to actively address climate change, this program has helped partner companies reap financial savings through reduced 

SF6 gas purchases. Partners represent 48 percent of the total U.S. transmission system.36

Achievements in 2012

•	 Reduced emissions by 5.6 MMTCO2e, bringing average SF6

emissions rates down to 2.2 percent of the total equipment 

nameplate capacity (see Figure 19). 

•	 Launched a stakeholder group—including partner companies, 

equipment manufacturers, and gas distributors—to explore issues 

related to Nameplate Capacity data quality.

•	 Completed webinars on SF6 emissions inventory methods and 

emissions reporting requirements. 

•	 Welcomed a new partner to the program and continued to work 

with partners to update their SF6 reduction goals.

THE VOLUNTARY ALUMINUM INDUSTRIAL PARTNERSHIP (VAIP)

Since 1995, EPA and the U.S. primary aluminum industry have worked together through the Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP), which 

represents 98 percent of U.S. production capacity, to reduce perfluorocarbon (PFC) emissions from aluminum production. PFC emissions of 

perfluoromethane (CF4) and perfluoroethane (C2F6) are inadvertent byproducts of the smelting process, and are between 6,500 and 9,200 times more 

potent warming agents than CO2.

33 EPA supports partners by providing technical assistance to evaluate the factors that influence PFC emissions, 

sharing best practices, and recognizing partners for their commitment to cutting emissions. All aluminum manufacturers now report through the

Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.34

Achievements in 2012

•	 Reduced PFC emissions on a per ton basis by more than 74 percent 

and absolute emissions by 6.2 MMTCO2e compared to the 

industry’s 1990 baseline (see Figure 18).

•	 Updated several analytical tools including those used for smelter 

training and measurements using data collected through the 

Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.

•	 Completed technology-based benchmarking analysis to support 

partner efforts to further reduce PFC emissions.

•	 Worked with the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) to update 

the EPA/IAI Guidelines for PFC Measurement.

FIGURE 19. EPS Annual Emissions Reductions

 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

FGHG Emissions Reductions

 (MMTCO2e)

2000 2001 2011 2012

34 For additional information about VAIP and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/highgwp/aluminum-pfc/index.html.

36 For additional information about the SF6

 Emission Reduction Partnership for Electic Power Systems and 2012 accomplishments, see

 http://www.epa.gov/highgwp/electricpower-sf6/index.html. 

33 For more information, see IPCC 1996.

35 For more information, see IPCC 1996. 

 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

FGHG Emissions Reductions

 (MMTCO2e)

2000 2001 2011 2012

25
26

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

FIGURE 20. Utility Partners Across the United States Are Participating with RAD

States with RAD Utility Partners 

States without RAD Utility Partners 

RESPONSIBLE APPLIANCE DISPOSAL PROGRAM (RAD)

EPA launched the Responsible Appliance Disposal Program (RAD) in October 2006 to help protect the ozone layer and reduce GHG emissions. 

Partners go beyond Clean Air Act Section 608 regulatory requirements37 by ensuring that old refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and 

dehumidifiers are recycled using the best environmental practices available. Partners recover not only refrigerant, as required by law, but also 

ozone-depleting and high-GWP chemicals from the insulating foam. Foam is recovered and destroyed, or the blowing agent is recovered and 

reclaimed. Further, while regulations only require the final disposer (i.e., a landfill or scrap recycler) to ensure that refrigerant has been recovered at 

an appliance’s end of life, RAD partner utilities, retailers, and manufacturers are committed to responsible recycling as part of their energy efficiency 

and corporate sustainability programs. EPA also works with partners to prevent the release of hazardous materials like mercury and polychlorinated 

biphenyls (PCBs), as well as save landfill space and energy by recycling durable materials—eliminating the need to produce virgin materials. The 

RAD Program invites utilities, retailers, manufacturers, state and local governments, universities, and other qualifying organizations to become 

partners (see Figure 20).

EPA calculates stratospheric ozone benefits, climate benefits, and energy savings achieved by RAD partners. HFC refrigerant and foams in disposed 

of appliances are about 1,000 times more potent global warmers than CO2.

38 EPA also provides support for implementing and developing responsible 

appliance disposal programs and recognizes partners through press releases, brochures, and case studies on the RAD website.

2010

Annu

Achievements in 2012

•	 Avoided emissions of 0.2 MMTCO2e and more than 756,000 pounds 

of ozone-depleting substances through the proper disposal of 

approximately 890,000 refrigerant-containing appliances.

•	 Celebrated the recycling of founding partner Southern California 

Edison’s one millionth refrigerator.

•	 Welcomed new utility partners, bringing the total to 44 utility 

partners servicing 27 states (see Figure 20). On average, 

refrigerators collected by RAD utility partners were more than 

20 years old. Disposing of a 20-year old refrigerator could save a 

household roughly 1,040 kWh/year or about $125/year in 

utility bills. 

37 For additional information, see http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/title6.html or http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/downloads/Section_608_FactSheet2010.pdf. 

38 For more information, see IPCC 1996. 39 For additional information on RAD and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/rad.
GREENCHILL PARTNERSHIP

EPA’s GreenChill Partnership works with the supermarket industry to reduce refrigerant emissions that harm the ozone layer and contribute to climate 

change. The refrigerants used in supermarkets are generally 1,500 to 3,300 times more potent global warmers than CO2.

40 Supermarkets leak about 

35 million pounds of these refrigerants annually. Partners go beyond regulatory requirements by tracking the use and emissions of all their 

refrigerants, not just the ozone-depleting substances required to be monitored by Clean Air Act Section 608.41 GreenChill helps supermarkets 

transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, significantly reduce the amount of refrigerant used, appreciably lower refrigerant leak rates, and 

adopt green refrigeration technologies and best environmental practices.42

GreenChill’s Corporate Emissions Reduction Program currently has 8,034 partner stores—representing just over 21 percent of the supermarket 

industry. In 2012, GreenChill supermarket partners set corporate goals and reduced the amount of refrigerant in their commercial systems by about 

33 percent compared to the industry average. The Store Certification Program encourages emissions reductions by setting standards for individual 

store’s refrigerant leak rates, the types of refrigerant used, and the amount of refrigerant used. Stores that achieve GreenChill’s certification emit at 

least 65 percent less refrigerant than a typical store.

Achievements in 2012

•	 GreenChill partners had an average annual leak rate (11.7 percent) 

that was at least 50 percent lower than the national average annual 

leak rate (25 percent). 

•	 An average GreenChill store’s climate impact due to refrigerant 

leaks (344 MTCO2e) was 67 percent lower than the national 

average store’s (1,053 MTCO2e).

•	 Seventy-five GreenChill stores were certified in 2012 for advanced 

refrigeration technology that prevents refrigerant leaks (see Figure 

21)—3 platinum, 34 gold, and 38 silver. Stores with a platinum, 

gold, or silver certification prevented at least 95 percent, 75 

percent, or 65 percent, respectively, of the refrigerant leaks from a 

typical store.

•	 GreenChill’s Advanced Refrigeration program recognized the first 

CO2 transcritical refrigeration system established in a U.S. 

supermarket. This supermarket was one of the three stores to 

receive platinum certification in 2012.

FIGURE 21. GreenChill Certified Stores in 2012

FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GAS PROGRAMS

27

0

al Report

40 For more information, see IPCC 1996. 41 For additional information, see http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/title6.html or http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/downloads/Section_608_FactSheet2010.pdf. 42 For additional information about GreenChill and 2012 accomplishments, see http://www.epa.gov/greenchill.
28

43 For additional information on The Center, see http://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/.

CROSS-CUTTING EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS

EPA supports several additional partnership programs that cut across multiple policy areas to contribute 

to sustained emissions reductions. Many organizations have already established sustainability or climate 

objectives to identify and achieve cost-effective GHG reduction strategies. In 2012, EPA launched the 

Center for Corporate Climate Leadership to serve as a resource for those organizations interested in 

reducing their environmental impacts associated with climate change. The Center also strives to help 

more advanced organizations continue to improve their GHG reduction strategies and serve as 

influencers to drive change in their supply chains and beyond. 

State and local governments have a unique opportunity to advance clean energy and reduce emissions 

through their own policies, and set an example for other communities across the country. EPA established 

the State and Local Climate and Energy Program to assist state and local governments in their efforts to 

meet sustainability and economic development goals. 

Through these cross-cutting programs, EPA provides partners with technical assistance, analytical tools, 

and peer exchange opportunities to help them develop and implement cost-effective solutions to reduce 

GHG emissions.

CENTER FOR CORPORATE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP

Launched in 2012, the Center for Corporate Climate Leadership (The Center) serves as a resource for organizations of all sizes in measuring and

managing their GHG emissions. The Center provides technical tools, ground-tested guidance, educational resources, opportunities for information 

sharing, and a platform for peer exchange. The Center also promotes practices and innovative approaches, drawing upon the successes of Climate 

Leadership Award recipients and former Climate Leaders partners.43

Achievements in 2012

•	 Organized and sponsored the first-ever Climate Leadership Awards 

(CLA), a national awards program that recognizes and incentivizes 

exemplary corporate, organizational, and individual leadership in 

response to climate change. The 2012 awards honored one 

individual and 20 organizations from across the United States that 

are leading the way in managing and reducing GHG emissions—

both in their internal operations and throughout the supply chain. 

The Center co-sponsored the Awards with three NGO partners: the 

Association of Climate Change Officers, the Center for Climate and 

Energy Solutions (C2ES), and The Climate Registry (see Appendix A, 

pg. 41). 

•	 Served as the lead sponsor of the first Climate Leadership 

Conference—an exchange for addressing global climate change 

through innovation and business solutions. The inaugural 

conference brought together more than 200 forward-thinking 

leaders from business, government, academia, and the nonprofit 

community who shared best practices for integrating GHG 

reductions, as well as climate risk and resilience strategies, into 

their organizations’ operations. The leadership awards were 

presented during the conference.

•	 Hosted webinars on the Climate Leadership Awards process and on 

EPA’s Corporate GHG Goal Evaluation Model. 

•	 Posted Climate Leaders program technical resources on the 

Center’s website, including methodological guidance on developing 

a company-wide GHG inventory; tools to help calculate a company’s 

carbon footprint, identify GHG reduction sources, and track 

progress; and a GHG benchmarking tool to help organizations 

evaluate and establish existing or new GHG goals that go beyond 

business as usual.

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT
CROSS-CUTTING EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS PROGRAMS

29

STATE AND LOCAL CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM

EPA helps state and local governments use renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other policies to reduce carbon pollution and other pollutant 

emissions and achieve the associated environmental, energy system, and economic benefits. EPA provides technical assistance, analytical tools, and 

peer exchange opportunities for state and local officials. 

As part of its support for state and local governments, EPA also works with DOE to co-facilitate the State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network 

(SEE Action).44 SEE Action offers information resources and technical assistance to state and local decisionmakers to support their efforts to provide 

cost-effective energy efficiency to their communities.

Achievements in 2012

STATE CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM

•	 Developed state-by-state projections of the energy impacts (in 

MWh) from energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) 

policies. The analysis will be useful to jurisdictions interested in 

including EE/RE as an emissions reduction strategy in meeting 

Clean Air Act or other objectives.

•	 Hosted state climate and energy webcasts on Quantifying 

Emissions Reductions from Clean Energy Policies and 

Programs; Using EPA’s GHG Reporting Rule Data for State 

and Local Governments; and, Estimating the Health Impacts 

of Climate Change and Clean Energy Programs.

45

44 For additional information, see http://www1.eere.energy.gov/seeaction/.

LOCAL CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM

•	 Issued two new Local Climate and Energy Strategy Guides, 

titled Landfill Gas Energy and Energy Efficiency in Resource 

Conservation and Recovery. These are the latest installments in 

a series that provides comprehensive, straightforward overviews of 

GHG emissions reduction strategies for local governments.46

•	 Hosted a three-part webcast series on Financing Local Clean 

Energy Programs. The series covered how to design and 

implement funding programs, how to locate available sources of 

funding, and how to leverage existing funds and make clean energy 

investments more affordable.47

EPA held a workshop for the 50 Climate 

Showcase Communities that are piloting 

local and tribal government climate 

change initiatives (see Figure 22). The 

goal of the Showcase program is to create 

replicable models of sustainable 

community projects that result in 

cost-effective and sustained GHG 

reductions while improving the 

environmental, economic, human health, 

or social conditions in a community.48

Climate Showcase Communities

45 State Climate and Energy Webcasts are available at http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/web-podcasts/forum.html.

46 For additional information on the Local Climate and Energy Strategy Guides, see http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/resources/strategy-guides.html.

47 For additional information, see http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/web-podcasts/local-webcasts.html.

FIGURE 22. EPA Supports 50 Climate Showcase Communities

48 For additional information, see http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/local/showcase/index.html.
30

MEASURING RESULTS: REPORT METHODOLOGY

Measuring Results of the Climate Protection Partnership Programs

EPA’s climate protection partnerships are important components of the U.S. Government’s strategy to 

address climate change. EPA is committed to documenting quantifiable program results and using 

well-established methods to estimate the benefits of its programs. To present the most realistic estimates 

of program benefits, EPA employs a common analytical framework across all of the individual program 

approaches. However, the specific approach will vary by program strategy, sector, availability of data, and 

market characteristics.

•	 The benefits discussed represent the results attributable to EPA efforts above pre-existing trends or 

business-as-usual (BAU) scenarios.

•	 Program methods address data quality, potential double counting with other federal programs, the

efforts of third-party actors, and other program-specific market effects.

•	 Where uncertainty exists, EPA uses the best available information and practices that yield conservative 

benefit estimates.

•	 Annual benefits reflect investments that occurred during the year, as well as those benefits that persist 

during that year from investments made in previous years.

•	 Cumulative benefits are the sum total of annual benefits through 2012. Cumulative benefits do not 

include the benefits expected in future years, such as benefits that will persist over the lifetime of an 

investment or expectations of future investments. Cumulative reductions from EPA programs include 

only active programs in 2012.

•	 Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions are estimated for the operational phase of affected 

measures and global warming potentials are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 

Change’s Second Assessment Report.

49

•	 Societal benefits are calculated based on the social cost of carbon which monetizes the damages 

associated with an incremental increase in carbon emissions in a given year.50

The 2012 annual and cumulative environmental and financial benefits are summarized in Table 1 on page 3. 

The historical and projected environmental benefits of these programs are summarized on Table 8 on page 

31. The information presented in this report is similar to much of the information used in EPA’s Justification 

of Appropriations Estimates reviewed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

49 For more information, see IPCC 1996.

50 Damages associated with an incremental increase in carbon emissions in a given year may include, but are not limited to, changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, 

 property damages from increased flood risk, and the value of ecosystem services.  $10.5 billion and $2.9 billion of the societal benefits are from CO2 and non-CO2 emissions, respectively. 

 The non-CO2 emissions were converted to CO2-equivalents assuming global warming potentials from the IPCC Second Assessment Report before applying the social cost of CO2. For more 

 information see Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, United States Government. 2013.
MEASURING RESULTS: REPORT METHODOLOGY

TABLE 8. Overview of OAP Climate Protection Partnership Programs with Annual GHG Reductions and Program Goals

31

PROGRAM

GREENHOUSE 

GASES

ADDRESSED KEY SECTORS

MARKET PENETRATION 

INDICATORS 

AS OF 2012

START 

YEAR

ANNUAL EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS (MMTCO2e)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 

2015 

GOAL

2020 

GOAL

ENERGY STAR PROGRAMS

Certified Products CO2

Residential, 

Commercial

More than 65 product 

categories 1992 62.5 71.9 81.4 107.4 129.2 113.6 141.2

Residential CO2 Residential 16% of new home market 1995 1.9 2.1 2.4 2.7 2.9 3.2 3.8

Commercial CO2 Commercial

More than 20,000 labeled 

buildings across 16 

building types

1995 67.9 69.2 81.2 86.6 89.8 75.0 93.5

Industrial CO2 Industrial

122 labeled plants across 

12 industrial sectors and 

subsectors

1995 24.2 26.4 33.2 32.2 32.7 25.6 36.6

CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCING ENERGY SUPPLY PROGRAMS1

Green Power 

Partnership CO2

State & Local 

Government, 

Commercial, 

Industrial

Over 1,400 partners 2001

 22.4 23.8 26.4 29.6 31.6 44.0 73.3 

Combined Heat & 

Power Partnership CO2

Commercial, 

Industrial

Over 450 partners, 18% 

of new CHP capacity 

creditable to CHPP

2001

METHANE PROGRAMS

Natural Gas STAR CH4 Natural Gas 121 US and International 

partners

1993 46.6 35.3 40.4 35.3 26.8 20.6 22.1

AgSTAR2 CH4 Agriculture 200 anaerobic digester 

systems

1994 1.1 1.1 1.4 1.5 1.8 0.9 0.9

Landfill Methane 

Outreach Program 

(LMOP)2

CH4

Waste 

Management

~1,050 partners and 

endorsers 1994 19.0 20.5 22.4 24.6 26.3 14.3 15.7

Coalbed Methane 

Outreach Program 

(CMOP)

CH4 Coal Mining

Over 80% of gas from 

underground coal mine 

degasification systems 

was recovered and used.

1994 8.4 8.8 9.9 8.5 8.4 9.3 9.4

FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GAS PROGRAMS

Voluntary 

Aluminum Industrial 

Partnership (VAIP)

PFCs Aluminum 

Smelting 98% of industry 1995 8.9 5.9 5.8 5.6 6.2 0.4 0.4

SF6 Emission 

Reduction 

Partnerships for 

Electric Power 

Systems (EPS)

SF6

Electric Power 

Systems

48% of US transmission 

system

1999 4.5 4.4 4.7 5.3 5.6 9.0 9.3

Responsible 

Appliance Disposal 

Program (RAD)3

HFCs

Utility, Retail, 

Manufacturer, 

State & Local 

Government

50 partners servicing 27 

states

2006 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.6

GreenChill3 HFCs Supermarket 

Industry 54 partners 2007 1.5 1.8 2.1 3.8 4.1 5.4 8.8

Note: Historic annual reductions reflect the most up-to-date data collected from EPA partners and may differ from reductions reported in previous annual reports. All program benefits reflect GHG 

emissions reductions attributable to EPA efforts that are above pre-existing trends, any existing regulatory requirements, or BAU scenarios. EPA also makes adjustments to avoid double counting with 

other federal or state policies or programs. See each individual program write-up in this section for additional details.

1

 GHG reductions and goals are for both the Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power Partnership.

2

 Program goals include only direct GHG emissions reductions. In 2012, direct emissions reductions were 1.4 MMTCO2e for AgSTAR and 17.1 MMTCO2e for LMOP.

3

 Does not incorporate climate benefits from ozone-depleting substances, which would result in an increase of 0.9 - 2.9 MMTCO2e per year.
32

ENERGY STAR® PROGRAMS TO REDUCE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

Through the ENERGY STAR® program, EPA helps U.S. businesses and consumers save money and reduce GHG emissions by labeling energy-efficient 

products, raising the bar of energy efficiency in new home construction, and encouraging superior energy management practices in the commercial 

and industrial sectors. 

EPA calculates GHG emissions benefits of the ENERGY STAR program by applying CO2 emissions factors, as applicable, to net annual electricity and 

fossil fuel savings attributable to the program. For electricity, a national marginal carbon emissions factor is assumed to reflect power plants which 

will run less due to energy efficiency. Emissions factors applied to fossil fuel savings are based on on-site fuel combustion.

The financial benefits for the ENERGY STAR program are placed in present value terms. The GDP Implicit Price Deflator Index is used to convert 

nominal dollars to constant current reporting year dollars.51 EPA’s calculations assume sector-specific, national-average prices, including electricity 

and fossil fuel prices published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).52 A private sector real discount rate is used as the interest rate for 

financing purchases of new technologies and practices since the majority of EPA partners making the investments are in the private sector.

The methods for estimating actual and projected energy savings of each of these strategies are described below.

ENERGY STAR Certified Products

•	 Sales of products due to the ENERGY STAR program are 

determined as those above and beyond BAU purchases of these 

products.53 These sales are estimated by:

Collecting annual sales data on ENERGY STAR certified 

products from participating product manufacturers as a 

condition of partnership and comparing these data to industry 

reports on total annual product sales. EPA screens the data and 

investigates and resolves issues when market penetration is 

not as expected.

Establishing BAU baselines for annual product sales for each 

product category based on the benefit/cost ratio for the product 

and a characterization of the market barriers for the product. 

•	 Annual energy savings are calculated using established 

values for the difference in annual energy use between a single 

ENERGY STAR product and a typically purchased product. For these 

values, EPA:

Assumes that ENERGY STAR certified products just meet the 

ENERGY STAR thresholds, even though there are some products 

that exceed those levels.

Assumes the typically purchased product meets minimum 

efficiency standards where standards exist. If standards do not 

exist, assumes the average energy use of available products 

within a category prior to the introduction of an ENERGY STAR 

specification. EPA reviewed the baseline assumptions for key 

products in 2012.

Supports primary data collection, such as product metering to 

collect power use information, where additional information is 

necessary to estimate energy savings.

53 For more details on many aspects of this method, see DNV KEMA 2013.

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

Uses product-specific lifetimes that vary from 4 to 20 years.

Subtracts out the savings associated with products used in 

ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes to avoid double 

counting savings.

•	 Net energy bill savings is the present value (PV) of energy bill 

savings minus the PV of any incremental cost of purchasing an 

ENERGY STAR certified product above a standard model over the 

product lifetimes discussed above.54

•	 Energy savings goals are estimated based on market projections 

for future product sales applied to net annual energy savings for 

product types in the program. EPA regularly reassesses key factors, 

such as energy consumption of standard non-ENERGY STAR 

products, changes in market sales, and new and revised ENERGY 

STAR product specifications.

ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes

•	 EPA receives data quarterly from third-party Home Energy Rating 

Providers certified by the Residential Energy Services Network 

(RESNET) on the number of homes they verified to be ENERGY 

STAR, as a condition of program partnership. These raters abide 

by a set of quality assurance practices to ensure data quality. In 

addition, EPA reviews the submitted data and resolves any data 

irregularities.

•	 EPA recognizes that some new homes that qualify for ENERGY 

STAR are not a direct result of the program and that many homes 

built to ENERGY STAR levels due to the program are not labeled 

or reported to the program. Currently, EPA estimates the former 

number of homes to be lower than the latter.

54 Calculated using a 7% discount rate and 2012 perspective.

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

51 For more details, see U.S. Department of Commerce 2013.

52 For more details, see EIA 2013.
33

MEASURING RESULTS: REPORT METHODOLOGY

55 For more details on this method, see Horowitz 2007.

56 For more details on this method, see Horowitz 2013b.

•	 To account for the energy savings resulting from the operation of 

ENERGY STAR certified homes across a range of climates, sizes, 

and fuel types, EPA developed composite estimates by determining 

the energy consumption of a standard (i.e., code-minimum) home 

constructed in each of seven climate zones, taking into account 

regional construction characteristics (e.g., foundation type, typical 

fuel use profile) and configuring the home to the national model 

energy code. EPA then applied ENERGY STAR requirements to each 

modeled home to determine the estimated annual energy savings 

achieved (for both electricity and natural gas) as compared to the 

standard home. This approach avoids double counting of energy 

savings from building energy codes.

•	 Energy bill savings are calculated using an approach similar to that 

used for ENERGY STAR products where energy bill savings are 

reduced by the incremental cost of purchasing an ENERGY STAR 

certified home. National average energy prices for the residential 

sector and a 30-year average lifetime of a home are assumed. 

•	 The number of ENERGY STAR certified homes to be constructed 

in future years is estimated by applying the annualized average 

growth of ENERGY STAR certified homes since 1994 to 

2012 actuals.

ENERGY STAR Commercial Buildings

•	 To calculate energy savings, EPA uses the data from the U.S. 

Energy Information Administration’s State Energy Data System as 

the basis for developing multivariate statistical models that 

estimate the change in national electricity and natural gas 

consumption for the 48 contiguous states in aggregate as a result 

of publicly-funded energy efficiency programs. The general details 

of this methodology, which uses the historical variation in levels of 

energy efficiency program activity in the 48 states to simulate 

current year energy consumption in the absence of all public 

programs, are published in the peer-reviewed, international 

scientific journal The Energy Journal.

55

•	 Cumulative annual energy savings for the current year, defined 

as the accomplishments from current year activities as well as 

from the accomplishments of program activities, are derived after 

controlling for the uptake in ENERGY STAR products in commercial 

buildings. In addition, ENERGY STAR for Commercial Buildings 

program accomplishments take into account the reported energy 

savings impacts from electric and natural gas utility demand side 

management programs, state and third-party public benefits energy 

efficiency programs, state building codes and appliance standards 

programs, and DOE Building Technologies Office programs. The 

spillover and market transformation effects captured in this 

methodology reflect the primary actions of the program.56

•	 Energy savings goals are estimated by applying a steady growth 

rate to program savings based on an examination of the opportunity 

for emissions reductions in the commercial sector. 

ENERGY STAR for Industry

•	 To calculate energy savings, EPA uses the data from the U.S. 

Department of Commerce’s Annual Survey of Manufactures as the 

basis for developing multivariate statistical models that estimate 

the change in national electricity consumption, and fuel 

expenditures for 184 manufacturing industries in aggregate as a 

result of publicly-funded energy efficiency programs. The details of 

this methodology are published in the peer-reviewed, 

international scientific journal Energy Efficiency.

57

•	 Cumulative annual ENERGY STAR for Industry program 

accomplishments for the current year, defined as the 

accomplishments from current year activities as well as from the 

accomplishments of program activities, are derived after making 

adjustments to avoid double counting of energy savings impacts 

from electric and natural gas utility demand side management 

programs, state and third-party public benefits energy efficiency 

programs, and DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office programs. The 

econometric model-based analyses of manufacturing industry 

energy consumption takes into consideration permanent shifts 

in energy consumption trends in the past decade, and temporary 

shock due to the recent economic downturn, as well other market 

determinants of purchased energy.58

•	 Energy savings goals are estimated based on an examination of the 

opportunity for emissions reductions in the industrial sector.

57 For more details on this method, see Horowitz 2013a.

58 For more details on many aspects of this method, see Horowitz 2001, 2007, and 2013c.
34

CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCING ENERGY SUPPLY PROGRAMS

The OAP Carbon Dioxide Reducing Energy Supply Programs include the Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power Partnership. The 

Green Power Partnership boosts supply of clean energy by helping U.S. organizations purchase electricity from eligible renewable generation 

sources. The CHP Partnership dismantles the market barriers preventing investment in environmentally beneficial CHP projects.

The benefits analyses for both energy supply programs are limited to GHG emissions benefits for these programs. Consistent CO2 emissions factors 

are assumed across OAP programs for electricity and fossil fuel savings attributable to the programs. 

Energy savings goals are estimated by applying a steady growth rate to program savings based on an examination of the opportunity for emissions 

reductions from green power and CHP.

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

Green Power Partnership (GPP)

As a condition of partnership, GPP partners submit data annually on their 

purchases of qualifying green power products. These data are screened 

and any issues resolved. 

The potential for double counting, such as counting green power 

purchases that may be required as part of a renewable portfolio 

standard or may rely on resources that are already part of the system 

mix, is addressed through a partnership requirement that green power 

purchases be incremental to what is already required. 

EPA estimates that the vast majority of the green power purchases 

made by program partners are due to the partnership, as partners 

comply with aggressive green power procurement requirements (usually 

at incremental cost) to remain in the program. Further, EPA estimates 

that its efforts to foster a growing voluntary green power market have 

likely led to additional market transformation benefits, leading to 

additional voluntary green power purchases that are not included in the 

program’s GHG emissions reduction estimates.

Combined Heat and Power Partnership (CHP)

The CHP Partnership’s GHG reduction benefits are calculated by 

subtracting the emissions from specific CHP systems from the emissions 

of the electricity and thermal sources (i.e., electric power grid and 

comparable boilers) displaced by those systems. CHP system emissions 

are calculated using fuel-specific emissions factors and operational data 

provided by the system operators. Program partners such as project 

owners voluntarily provide project-specific information on newly 

operational CHP projects to EPA. These data are screened and any 

issues resolved. 

Each project’s CO2 benefit is calculated individually accounting for its 

actual start-up date. Each project receives a credit for avoided 

transmission and distribution (T&D) losses, based on a published 

national loss factor, reduced based on the amount of electricity supplied 

to the grid by the CHP system.

Only the emissions reductions from projects that meet the assistance 

criteria for the program are included in the program benefit estimates. 

EPA addresses the potential for double counting benefits between this 

and other OAP Partnership Programs by having program staff meet 

annually to identify and resolve any overlap issues. 

CHP partners may also receive assistance from other programs, 

including those receiving funding through federal grant programs. No 

adjustments are made for such double counting as the magnitude of 

potential overlap is estimated to be equal to or less than projects not 

reported to EPA, though influenced by the partnership’s broader market 

transformation efforts. 
35

MEASURING RESULTS: REPORT METHODOLOGY

Natural Gas STAR Program

The Natural Gas Star Program calculates its achieved annual emissions 

reductions based on 100 percent of the emissions reductions reported to 

the Program by program partners, who submit methane emission 

reduction data to EPA annually. These data are used to determine 

Program emissions reduction totals and measure the overall 

effectiveness of the Natural Gas STAR Program. The Natural Gas STAR 

Program focuses on implementation of best management practices 

(BMPs) and partner reported opportunities (PROs) that were undertaken 

by companies voluntarily. Partner companies have the option of using 

default calculation methodologies or company-specific methodologies, 

which must be documented on their annual reports. Reported reductions 

must be voluntary in nature and cannot be attributable to compliance 

with existing regulations. Each Annual Report is reviewed to ensure that 

all reductions data are accurate and non-regulatory in nature. Any 

inconsistencies are resolved through direct correspondence with the 

appropriate partner company. As appropriate, these data are omitted or 

adjusted prior to their inclusion in the Natural Gas STAR Program 

annual totals.

AgSTAR PROGRAM

AgSTAR is an outreach program aimed at reducing methane emissions 

from livestock waste management operations by promoting the use of 

biogas recovery systems. AgSTAR tracks and publishes a map of 

commercially operational anaerobic digester systems on livestock 

facilities in the United States. AgSTAR follows the Intergovernmental 

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology to estimate methane 

emissions reductions from these projects and counts both direct and 

indirect reductions from anaerobic digester systems in its annual 

program accomplishments. Program goals are based on modeled direct 

emissions reductions only.

Anaerobic digesters reduce GHG emissions in two ways. The first is 

the direct methane emissions reduction from the capture and burning 

of biogas that otherwise would escape into the atmosphere from the 

waste management system. For projects that generate energy, a second 

benefit is the avoided GHG emissions (CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide) 

and other pollutants from the use of biogas to displace fossil fuels that 

otherwise would be used to generate energy.

Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP)

LMOP promotes projects that reduce landfill gas (LFG) emissions. 

Through 2012, LMOP used a methodology for estimating direct methane 

and indirect CO2 emission reductions from LFG energy projects. The 

direct reductions represent the collection and destruction of methane 

generated from landfill waste, whereas indirect reductions represent 

offsets from the combustion of fossil fuels that emit anthropogenic 

CO2. LMOP calculates annual reductions from projects for which LMOP 

provides assistance, technical information, and/or where there is partner 

involvement in implementing the project. Reductions of methane that are 

the result of compliance with EPA’s air regulations are not included in the 

program estimates. In addition, only emission reductions from projects 

that meet the LMOP assistance criteria are included in the program 

benefit estimates.

LMOP maintains a comprehensive database of MSW landfills and LFG 

energy projects in the United States. These data are updated frequently 

based on information gathered from partners, LMOP’s outreach efforts, 

and other various sources. In 2011, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting 

Program began providing annual facility level data related to LFG 

emissions, which has been incorporated into the LMOP database. For 

operational LFG energy projects, the LMOP database includes the 

estimated MW capacity of each electricity project and the estimated 

amount of LFG utilized by each direct-use project, which are used in the 

calculations to determine annual emission reductions. 

Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP)

CMOP promotes the profitable recovery and utilization of coal mine 

methane. CMOP annually measures the program’s accomplishments 

using a metric of emissions reductions achieved from coal mine methane 

recovery projects in the United States. Emissions reductions attributable 

to program activities are distinguished from emissions reductions that 

would have occurred without the program. CMOP updated their 

methodology in calendar year 2005 to incorporate a tiered system 

applied to total emissions reductions from active underground and 

abandoned mines. This tiered approach gives weightings of 90 percent, 

70 percent, and 40 percent, depending on the extent of the program’s 

involvement in the specific project or the type of project. For example, 

ventilation air methane (VAM) emission reduction projects are assigned 

the highest weighting because of the program’s instrumental role in 

promoting and demonstrating this innovative emissions reduction 

technology. Similarly, projects where direct technical assistance 

was provided by CMOP are also given a high weighting. In 2012, the 

Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program began providing annual facility-level 

emissions and other data from this sector, which can be used in the 

calculation of CMOP accomplishments. 

THE METHANE EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS

EPA’s methane programs facilitate recovering methane from landfills, oil and natural gas systems, agriculture (manure management), and coal mines, 

as well as using methane as a clean energy resource. Value of gas mitigated assumes all methane mitigated is sold as natural gas, using the average 

annual gas price from EIA.59 In order to estimate program goals, OAP relies on a marginal abatement cost (MAC) curve analysis to estimate future 

program impacts.

59 For more details, see EIA 2013.
36

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership 

(VAIP)

Historically, VAIP has used a methodology to estimate emissions of PFCs 

based on the smelter-specific correlation between measured PFC 

emissions and operating parameters, weighted by activity data. VAIP 

participants reported a smelter-specific emissions coefficient derived 

from stack measurements and annual operating parameter data 

(frequency and duration of anode effects) and production data. EPA 

calculated the VAIP program achievements as the difference between 

annual estimated emissions under BAU practices (based on emissions 

rates from 1990) and current annual emissions as reported under the 

program. In 2011, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program began 

providing annual facility-level emissions data from this sector from both 

partners and non-partners. These data replace the partnership 

collected data. In order to estimate program goals, OAP relies on a 

marginal abatement cost (MAC) curve analysis to estimate future 

program impacts.

SF6 Emissions Reduction Partnership for 

Electric Power Systems (EPS)

The SF6 Emissions Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systems has 

been estimating emissions of SF6 using a facility-specific mass-balance 

methodology. The mass-balance method works by tracking and 

systematically accounting for all company uses of SF6 during the 

reporting year. This method is provided by the 2006 IPCC Guidelines as 

the Tier 3 approach for estimating emissions from electrical transmission 

and distribution facilities. EPA calculates program achievements as the 

difference between annual estimated emissions under BAU practices 

and annual reported emissions under the program. In 2012, the 

Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program began providing annual facility-level 

emissions data from this sector, from both partners and non-partners. 

In most cases, these data replace the partnership collected data since 

the majority of partner facilities are subject to mandatory reporting 

through the Greenhouse Gas Report Program. In order to estimate 

program goals, OAP relies on a marginal abatement cost (MAC) curve 

analysis to estimate future program impacts.

Responsible Appliance Disposal Program 

(RAD)

To estimate emissions reductions, the masses of individual refrigerant 

and foam-blowing agents reclaimed or destroyed by RAD partners, 

provided by the partners in annual reports disaggregated by chemical, 

are multiplied by their global warming potential and summed. Only 

hydrofluorocarbons are included in the totals; the ozone depleting 

substances (ODS) are not included. The destruction or reclamation of 

these chemicals is not required by law; however, partners voluntarily 

undertake these emissions reductions pursuant to their agreement as 

RAD program partners.

A projection of the number of appliances collected and processed by 

RAD partners is made. To estimate future emissions reductions, the past 

emissions reductions are scaled based on the number of appliances 

collected and processed by RAD partners in those years. In addition, it is 

assumed that the chemicals whose emissions are avoided will change 

over time due to the projected ODS to HFC transition.

Finally, these results are adjusted to account for the recycling of durable 

components (metal, plastic, glass) that also occurs under the RAD 

program. EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) is used to estimate this 

factor for each year data were reported, and the weighted average of 

those calculations is used for future projections.60

GreenChill Partnership

To determine emissions reductions from the GreenChill Partnership, 

partners provide annual reports of their corporate banks of refrigerant 

(i.e., refrigerant contained in equipment owned by the partner) as well 

as emissions. EPA analyzes this information from partners, extrapolates 

trends and compares the results to typical U.S. non-GreenChill 

supermarkets. GreenChill partners provide emissions data 

disaggregated by chemical. These data are used to calculate emissions 

of HFCs in CO2 equivalents and to determine the weighted average 

emissions rate of the GreenChill partners. To ensure calculations are 

correct, each partner is given a report to double-check their individual 

corporate-wide emissions rates, and partnership averages are provided 

so that partners can assess the reasonableness of those averages, 

benchmark their own emissions rates, and set goals to improve.

The average partner emissions are then compared to the national 

average for typical U.S. supermarkets, based on information from 

EPA’s Vintaging Model, the partners, and other industry experts. The 

past emissions reductions from the partnership are then taken as the 

difference of the typical U.S. store and the partnership average store, 

multiplied by the number of stores represented by the data provided by 

the partners.

Due to phaseout regulations for ozone-depleting substances under CAA 

Title VI, it is assumed that the types of refrigerant used by all 

supermarkets, including GreenChill partners, will change over time, 

replacing ozone-depleting substances with alternatives (primarily HFCs). 

60 For more information about WARM, see http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/waste/calculators/Warm_home.html.

THE FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAMS

Through fluorinated greenhouse gas (FGHG) partnership programs, EPA identifies cost-effective emissions reductions opportunities, recognizes 

industry accomplishments, and facilitates the transition toward environmentally friendlier technologies and best environmental practices. 
37

MEASURING RESULTS: REPORT METHODOLOGY

•	 Historical values in Table 8 have changed slightly since the 2011 Annual Report for ENERGY STAR Products, ENERGY STAR Certified New 

Homes, Methane, and FGHG programs to reflect additional information received from program partners. The goals for these programs were 

also adjusted where applicable.

•	 The Methane programs’ GHG emissions reduction methodologies have been revised to reflect new information from the Greenhouse Gas 

Reporting Rule, as well as methane reduction co-benefits expected from regulatory programs for the natural gas and landfill sectors.

•	 The Methane programs began estimating the value of natural gas mitigated in addition to GHG emissions reductions.

•	 ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes revised their goal values to reflect the program’s actual long-term average growth rate, which 

accounts for changes in the housing markets.

•	 AgSTAR annual emissions reductions, as well as societal benefits for all projects, are reported for the first time in this report.

Key Changes to Results Measurements for the 2012 Annual Report

To be conservative, it is assumed that the average GWP of the 

alternatives used today will stay the same in the future.

In addition, GreenChill has fostered leak reductions amongst the 

partnership. Annual emissions rates as calculated above (total partner 

emissions divided by total partner banks) change year to year. The 

average reduction in emissions rates achieved during past years is then 

assumed to continue annually into the future, on a percent reduction 

basis (i.e., so that future leak rates never reach or go below 

zero percent).

GreenChill assumes that the market share represented by all GreenChill 

partners increases annually based on the historic growth rate. To be 

conservative, it is assumed that individual GreenChill partners do not 

increase their market share, even though promotion and monetary 

savings through the partnership may help them do so.
38

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

APPENDIX A

AWARDS 

PARTNER OF THE YEARSUSTAINED EXCELLENCE

3M

St. Paul, MN

AEP Texas Central

Corpus Christi, TX

Andersen Corporation

Bayport, MN

APS (Arizona Public Service)

Phoenix, AZ

ArcelorMittal USA

Chicago, IL

Austin Energy

Austin, TX

Bentall Kennedy

Toronto, ON

Bosch Home Appliances 

Corporation

Irvine, CA

Building Owners and Managers 

Association (BOMA) 

International

Washington, DC

CalPortland Company

Glendora, CA

CBRE, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA

Cenergistic

Dallas, TX

CenterPoint Energy

Houston, TX

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland, OH

Colgate-Palmolive Company

New York, NY

ComEd

Chicago, IL

Constellation Energy/Baltimore 

Gas and Electric Company 

(BGE)

Baltimore, MD

Ecova

Spokane, WA

Energy Inspectors Corporation

Las Vegas, NV

EnergyCAP, Inc.

State College, PA

EnergyLogic

Berthoud, CO

Evergreen Public Schools

Vancouver, WA

Focus on Energy

Madison, WI

Food Lion, Bottom Dollar Food, 

Harveys and Reid’s

Salisbury, NC

GE Lighting

Fairfield, CT

General Motors

Detroit, MI

Gresham-Barlow School District

Gresham, OR

Habitat for Humanity of Greater 

Nashville

Nashville, TN

Habitat for Humanity of Metro 

Denver

Denver, CO

Hanesbrands Inc.

Winston-Salem, NC

HEI Hotels & Resorts

Norwalk, CT

Hines

Houston, TX

ITW Food Equipment Group

Troy, OH

Ivey Residential, LLC

Evans, GA

J. C. Penney Company, Inc.

Plano, TX

Jones Lang LaSalle

Chicago, IL

KB Home

Los Angeles, CA

Kohls Department Stores, Inc.

Menomonee Falls, WI

KPPC-Kentucky Pollution 

Prevention Center

Louisville, KY

LG&E and KU

Louisville, KY

Long Island Power Authority 

(LIPA)

Uniondale, NY

Loudoun County Public Schools

Ashburn, VA

Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Mooresville, NC

Manitowoc Foodservice

New Port Richey, FL

Merck

Whitehouse Station, NJ

Meritage Homes

Scottsdale, AZ

New Jersey Board of Public 

Utilities

Trenton, NJ

New York State Energy Research 

and Development Authority 

(NYSERDA)

Albany, NY

New York-Presbyterian Hospital

New York, NY

Nissan North America, Inc.

Franklin, TN

Northeast Energy Efficiency 

Partnerships, Inc. (NEEP)

Lexington, MA

Northwest Energy Efficiency 

Alliance (NEEA)

Portland, OR

Pacific Gas and Electric 

Company

San Francisco, CA

Panasonic Eco Solutions North 

America

Secaucus, NJ

PepsiCo, Inc.

Purchase, NY

Public Service Company of 

Oklahoma (PSO)

Tulsa, OK

Raytheon Company

Waltham, MA

Saint-Gobain

Valley Forge, PA

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Suwon, South Korea

Sears Holdings Corporation

Hoffman Estates, IL

Servidyne

Atlanta, GA

Southern California Edison

Rosemead, CA

Southern Energy Management

Morrisville, NC

Staples, Inc.

Framingham, MA

The Boeing Company

Chicago, IL

The E Group, a Division of 

FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.

Akron, OH

TIAA-CREF

New York, NY

Toyota Motor Engineering & 

Manufacturing North America, 

Inc.

Erlanger, KY

TRANSWESTERN

Houston, TX

USAA Real Estate Company

San Antonio, TX

PARTNER OF THE YEAR

AEP Ohio

Columbus, OH

Air Force Medical Support AgencyHealth Facilities Division

San Antonio, TX

Air-King, Ltd.

West Chester, PA

Allergan, Inc.

Irvine, CA

AVR Homebuilders

Yonkers, NY

Beacon Capital Partners, LLC

Boston, MA

Brandywine Realty Trust

Radnor, PA

Burton Energy Group

Alpharetta, GA

Cassidy Turley

Washington, DC

Columbia Gas of Ohio

Columbus, OH

Des Moines Public Schools

Des Moines, IA

DIRECTV

El Segundo, CA

Dominion East Ohio

Richmond, VA

Eastman Chemical Company

Kingsport, TN

El Paso Electric

El Paso, TX

Energy Services Group

New Castle, DE

Entergy Texas

Beaumont, TX

Fanning/Howey Associates, Inc.

Celina, OH

Grayhawk Homes, Inc.

Columbus, GA

Hoshizaki America, Inc.

Peachtree City, GA

Kenton County School District

Ft. Wright, KY

LG Electronics, Inc.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Liberty Property Trust

Malvern, PA

Memorial Hermann Healthcare 

System

Houston, TX

Nationwide Marketing Group

Winston Salem, NC

New Hampshire CORE Utilities

Manchester, NH

North Penn School District

Lansdale, PA

PECO Energy Company

Philadelphia, PA

Pella Corporation

Pella, IA

Philips Lighting Company

Somerset, NJ

ProVia

Sugarcreek, OH

Scotsman Ice Systems

Vernon Hills, IL

Scott County Schools

Georgetown, KY

Sharp Electronics Corporation

Mahwah, NJ

Southern Maryland Electric 

Cooperative (SMECO)

Hughesville, MD

Technical Consumer Products, 

Inc. (TCP)

Aurora, OH

The Connecticut Energy Efficiency 

Fund with UI and CL&P

Orange, CT

The Home Depot

Atlanta, GA

Verizon Wireless

Basking Ridge, NJ

Vornado Realty Trust

New York, NY

Wells Real Estate Funds

Norcross, GA

AWARDS FOR 

EXCELLENCE

ENERGY STAR Promotion

Amerlux

Fairfield, NJ

FSL Home Energy Solutions

Phoenix, AZ

National Grid

Waltham, MA

South Carolina Electric & Gas 

Company

Cayce, SC

Affordable Housing

Milford Housing Development 

Corporation

Milford, DE

Energy-Efficient Product Design

Cree, Inc.

Durham, NC

Retailing

Metro Lighting

Brentwood, MO

ENERGY STAR Award Winners
39

APPENDIX

AWARDS

GREEN POWER PURCHASING

American University Washington, DC

Bloomberg L.P. New York, NY

City of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA

Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY

Kettle Foods Salem, OR

Lockheed Martin Bethesda, MD

McDonald’s USA, LLC Oak Brook, IL

MOM’s Organic Market Rockville, MD

NYSE Euronext New York, NY

Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT

TD Bank Cherry Hill, NJ

SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE IN GREEN POWER

Intel Corporation Santa Clara, CA

Kohl’s Department Stores Menomonee Falls, WI

Staples Framingham, MA

Whole Foods Market Austin, TX 

ON-SITE GENERATION

Coca-Cola Refreshments Atlanta, GA

Zotos International, Inc. Geneva, NY

GREEN POWER PARTNER OF THE YEAR

City of Austin Austin, TX

Hilton Worldwide Mountain View, CA

Microsoft Corporation Redmond, WA

University of Oklahoma Norman, OK

GREEN POWER COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR

Beaverton, OR Beaverton, OR

Oak Park, IL Oak Park, IL

GREEN POWER SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Renewable Choice Energy Boulder, CO

Sterling Planet Atlanta, GA

INNOVATIVE GREEN POWER PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Wellesley Municipal Light Plan Wellesley, MA

CHP PROJECT LOCATION COLLABORATING CHP PARTNERSHIP PARTNERS

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, 

Marine Air Ground Task Force Training 

Command Twentynine Palms 

Twentynine Palms, CA Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Johnson Controls, 

Solar Turbines, Vanderweil Engineers 

US Army Garrison, Fort Bragg Fort Bragg, NC US DOE, Broad U.S.S., Honeywell, North Carolina Solar 

Center, Solar Turbines, Vanderweil Engineers

Natural Gas STAR did not provide partner awards in 2012. For information on upcoming events and awards, please visit 

http://www.epa.gov/gasstar/newsroom/awardwinners.html#2012.

2012 Green Power Leadership Awards

2012 ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power Awards

Natural Gas STAR Awards
40

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

AWARDS

PROJECTS OF THE YEAR

Anne Arundel County’s Millersville Landfill 

Electricity Project Maryland

Hickory Ridge Landfill and Coca-Cola CCHP 

Project Georgia

La Crosse County Landfill and 

Gundersen Health System CHP Project Wisconsin

Lycoming County Landfill Dual 

Cogeneration and Electricity Project Pennsylvania

Orange County’s Olinda Alpha Landfill 

Combined Cycle Project California

St. Landry Parish Landfill CNG Project Louisiana

Watauga County Landfill Small 

Electricity Project North Carolina

INDUSTRY PARTNER OF THE YEAR

Landfill Energy Systems Michigan

SUPERIOR GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

Food Lion

Hy-Vee

King Kullen

Price Chopper

Stater Bros. Supermarkets

Weis Markets

EXCEPTIONAL GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

King Kullen

MOST IMPROVED EMISSIONS RATE

Price Chopper (year-to-year)

McQuade’s Marketplace (since baseline year)

BEST EMISSIONS RATE

Stater Bros. Supermarkets

BEST OF THE BEST

Hannaford Turner, ME

STORE CERTIFICATION EXCELLENCE 

(SUPERMARKET PARTNER)

Sprouts Farmers Market

STORE CERTIFICATION EXCELLENCE 

(NON-SUPERMARKET PARTNER)

Hillphoenix

STORE RE-CERTIFICATION EXCELLENCE 

(SUPERMARKET PARTNER)

Raley’s Petaluma, CA

DISTINGUISHED PARTNER

Ronald Vogl

Weis Markets

2012 Landfill Methane Outreach Program Awards

2012 GreenChill Achievement Awards
AWARDS

APPENDIX

41

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

IBM

San Diego Gas & Electric

INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

Gene Rodrigues, Director of Customer Energy Efficiency 

& Solar, Southern California Edison

SUPPLY CHAIN LEADERSHIP AWARD

Port of Los Angeles

SAP

UPS

EXCELLENCE IN GHG MANAGEMENT 

(GOAL SETTING CERTIFICATE)

Avaya

Bentley Prince Street

Campbell Soup Company

Ford Motor Company

Gap Inc.

Ingersoll Rand

EXCELLENCE IN GHG MANAGEMENT 

(GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD)

Campbell Soup Company

Casella Waste Systems

Conservation Services Group

Cummins Inc.

Fairchild Semiconductor

Genzyme

Hasbro

Intel Corporation

International Paper

SC Johnson

2012 Climate Leadership Award Winners
LIST OF FIGURES

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

42

FIGURE 1. ENERGY STAR Annual Benefits Have More Than Quadrupled Since 2000 .......................................................................... 4

FIGURE 2. Annual GHG Emissions Reductions from OAP Climate Partnerships Exceed 365 MMTCO2e in 2012 .............................. 5

FIGURE 3. More than 4.5 Billion ENERGY STAR Certified Products Purchased Over the Past 20 Years (Cumulative by Year) ...... 7

FIGURE 4. Awareness of ENERGY STAR Growing in the United States ................................................................................................. 10

FIGURE 5. More Than 1.4 Million Homes Nationwide Have Earned the ENERGY STAR Label .......................................................... 12

FIGURE 6. 2012 Market Share for ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes by State................................................................................ 12

FIGURE 7. Home Performance With ENERGY STAR Spreads Across the Country in 2012 ................................................................ 13

FIGURE 8. Energy Savings from Benchmarking ......................................................................................................................................... 14

FIGURE 9. Cumulative Square Feet Benchmarked in Portfolio Manager .............................................................................................. 14

FIGURE 10. More Than 20,000 Buildings Have Earned the ENERGY STAR Through 2012...................................................................... 15

FIGURE 11. Improvement in U.S. Wet Corn Mill Energy Performance, 1997-2009 .................................................................................. 17

FIGURE 12. Annual GHG Emissions Reductions by the Carbon Dioxide Reducing Energy Supply Programs ................................... 18

FIGURE 13. Green Power Purchased and GHG Emissions Reductions .................................................................................................... 19

FIGURE 14. Natural Gas STAR Annual Methane Emissions Reductions ................................................................................................. 21

FIGURE 15. AgSTAR Annual Methane Emissions Reductions ................................................................................................................... 22

FIGURE 16. LMOP Annual Methane Emissions Reductions ...................................................................................................................... 22

FIGURE 17. CMOP Annual Methane Emissions Reductions ...................................................................................................................... 23

FIGURE 18. VAIP Annual Emissions Reductions .......................................................................................................................................... 25

FIGURE 19. EPS Annual Emissions Reductions ............................................................................................................................................ 25

FIGURE 20. Utility Partners Across the United States are Participating with RAD ................................................................................ 26

FIGURE 21. GreenChill Certified Stores in 2012 ............................................................................................................................................ 27

FIGURE 22. EPA Supports 50 Climate Showcase Communities ................................................................................................................. 29

APPENDIX B
43

APPENDIX

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1. Summary of OAP Climate Protection Partnership Programs’ Benefits and Goals (In Billions of 2012 Dollars and 

MMTCO2e).............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3

TABLE 2. Summary of OAP Climate Protection Partnership Programs.................................................................................................... 6

TABLE 3. ENERGY STAR Key Program Indicators, 2000 and 2012 ............................................................................................................. 8

TABLE 4. EPA Maintains Efficiency Standards with Product Specifications and Revisions................................................................ 9

TABLE 5. ENERGY STAR Product Specifications Added, Revised, and In Progress ............................................................................ 11

TABLE 6. EPA ENERGY STAR Industrial Focuses on Energy .................................................................................................................... 16

TABLE 7. U.S. CHP Capacity and Partnership Market Share................................................................................................................... 20

TABLE 8. Overview of OAP Climate Protection Partnership Programs with Annual GHG Reductions and Program Goals ......... 31

APPENDIX C
REFERENCES

CLIMATE PROTECTION PARTNERSHIPS 2012 REPORT

44

Climate Protection Partnerships Division, Climate Change Division, 

Stratospheric Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency. 2013. Partner and emissions data for 2012 provided by 

individual programs within the Office of Atmospheric Programs.

DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability. 2013. “E-CAST 2012 Results 

for Carbon and Energy Savings from the ENERGY STAR Program.” 

Technical Memorandum to EPA December 2013. 

Energy Information Administration (EIA). 2013. Annual Energy Outlook 

2013 with Projections to 2040. Office of Integrated and International 

Energy Analysis. (DOE/EIA-0383 (2013)). April. Available online at http://

www.eia.gov/forecasts/archive/aeo13/index.cfm.

Horowitz, Marvin J. 2013a. “Purchased energy and Policy Impacts in 

the U.S. Manufacturing Sector.” Energy Efficiency, DOI 10.007/s12053-

013-9200-3, April.

Horowitz, Marvin J., 2013b. “Technical Memorandum: Impact 

Evaluation of ENERGY STAR for the Commercial Buildings Sector in 

2012.” to EPA November 2013.

Horowitz, Marvin J., 2013c. “Technical Memorandum: Impact 

Evaluation of ENERGY STAR for the Industrial Sector in 2012.” to EPA 

November 2013.

Horowitz, M.J. 2007. “Changes in Electricity Demand in the United 

States from the 1970s to 2003.” The Energy Journal, Vol 28, Summer 

(3):93-119.

Horowitz, M.J. 2001. “Economic Indicators of Market Transformation: 

Energy Efficient Lighting and EPA’s Green Lights.” The Energy Journal, 

Vol 22, Fall (4):95-122.

Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, United States 

Government. 2013. Technical Support Document: Technical Update 

of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis Under 

Executive Order 12866. November. United States Government. Available 

online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/

inforeg/technical-update-social-cost-of-carbon-for-regulator-impactanalysis.pdf.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 1996. IPCC Second 

Assessment Report: Climate Change 1995. [J.T. Houghton, L.G. Meira 

Filho, B.A. Callander, N. Harris, A. Katenberg, and K. Maskell, (eds.)]. 

Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK.

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2013. 

Table 1.1.9. Implicit Price Deflators for Gross Domestic Product. 

October 2013. Available online at http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.

cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=1&isuri=1&903=13.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). 2013a. Inventory 

of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011. Tables ES-7 

and ES-8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. 

U.S. EPA #430-R-13-001. April. Available online at http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html.

U.S. EPA. 2013b. National Awareness of ENERGY STAR for 2012: 

Analysis of 2012 CEE Household Survey. Office of Air and Radiation, 

Climate Protection Partnerships Division. Available online at http://

www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/National%20

Awareness%20of%20ENERGY%20STAR%202012%20508%20compliant.

pdf?b1ef-17eb.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2010. 2008 Annual Survey of Manufactures. 

March. Available online at http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/asm/

index.html.

APPENDIX D

United States 

Environmental Protection Agency

Air and Radiation 6202J

EPA 430-R-14-002

www.epa.gov

January 2014

Recycled/Recyclable Printed on paper containing 50% post consumer waste.