The Empire State Building is now powered entirely by wind
What’s the story?
The Empire State Building in New York is one of 14 office buildings owned by Empire State Realty Trust Inc. that can now claim to be powered entirely by renewable wind electricity.
The Trust signed a three-year contract with Green Mountain Energy to power the 102-story skyscraper and 13 other office buildings throughout New York and Connecticut in its real estate portfolio, with wind energy.
The Empire State Building itself had been running on renewable energy since 2011, but by adding its additional properties to the green energy contract, Empire State Realty Trust Inc. will become the nation’s biggest real estate user of entirely renewable energy.
Why is this positive news for the planet?
Firstly, it proves it is possible. That renewable energy is a smart, effective and efficient source of energy for large-scale operations, like this.
Secondly, the positive impact of this will be on reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
Office buildings require a lot of energy to operate, and contribute in a big way towards greenhouse gas emissions. In New York, office buildings generate more than two-thirds of the city’s carbon emissions, according to the Washington Post.
With this expansion of its entire portfolio of 14 buildings to the renewable energy contract, Empire State Realty Trust Inc. will avoid the production of 450 million pounds of carbon dioxide – equivalent to the savings that would be made if every New York State household turned off all their lights for a month.
