Wind-powered Starbucks in the Northwest

PSE’s Green Direct effort, an industry-leading renewable energy program for King County’s largest electric customers, will directly provide energy to power 116 Starbucks stores and the company’s roasting facility in Kent, Wash. Recently approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, Green Direct will ultimately produce enough energy to power nearly 30,000 homes.

“Green Direct is a way Starbucks can select what type of energy we buy, rather than that being predetermined by the utility, so we can put the money we spend on electricity into renewable energy projects,” said Leonard.

“This is actually pouring clean, green energy into the same grid that these stores are connected to,” said Rebecca Zimmer, global director of environment at Starbucks. “This represents a direct investment that’s locally relevant and provides an innovative energy purchasing model we hope to see in other communities.”

Daniel T. Schwartz, director of the University of Washington’s Clean Energy Institute, said a commitment to renewable energy by major companies like Starbucks will ultimately impact the cost of clean electricity across the board.

“Everyone responsible for building a clean energy system – from the people that permit the project to the engineers and construction labor that builds it – learn from each project, so the more renewable energy generation facilities that get built in the U.S., the cheaper they get for everyone else to buy and use,” said Schwartz. “Starbucks commitment to being on the cutting edge of clean-energy-direct purchasing is lowering the cost for every subsequent clean-energy project.”