Pep Rally

PepsiCo buys a lotta renewable-energy credits, tops EPA green power list

The U.S. EPA released its quarterly list of the top 25 buyers of green power yesterday, with the No. 1 slot filled by a new kid in the renewable-energy biz. That would be PepsiCo, which vaulted to the top of the list by announcing plans to purchase 1 beeellion kilowatt-hours of renewable-energy credits. In partnership with REC provider Sterling Planet, the fizzy-drink maker (and owner of Frito-Lay) will spend $2 million funding wind, biomass, and hydroelectric power to "offset" the power used by its U.S. manufacturing facilities, headquarters, distribution centers, and regional offices. Pepsi's renewable-energy buy is twice the amount purchased by previous list-topper Wells Fargo in October; Whole Foods Market, bumped to third on the list, was the first company to offset all of its energy use, in January 2006. "By switching to alternative, renewable power sources, PepsiCo is proving that going green can be the choice of every generation," says EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, who totally stole our punch line.