REBA Lists Top 10 US Large Energy Buyers in 2020, Amazon No.1

REBA has released the list of Top 10 US large clean energy buyers for the year 2020 with Amazon at the top with procurements worth 3.163 GW.

The Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) has released the second annual Deal Tracker Top 10, which highlights 2020’s leading large energy buyers. The list was topped by Amazon with the procurement of 3.163 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy. 

As per the report, large energy buyers once again showcased their resolve and commitment to renewable energy with a record-breaking 10.6 GW of announced contracted capacity.

“Large energy buyers have led the market since the inception of renewable energy in 2008. It is remarkable that the business community announced nearly 100 new deals while managing the impacts of a global pandemic,” said Miranda Ballentine, CEO, REBA. “These leaders stepped up to prioritise renewables as a key component of broader organisational energy and climate strategies, and more importantly, recognise the role of the energy industry as the country looks to navigate economic recovery.”

The Deal Tracker highlights how large energy buyers have continued to drive progress toward a zero-carbon future. The diverse list of companies – half of which represents first-time energy buyers accounting for 25 percent of total announced volume – have navigated market barriers through innovative contracting structures and collaboration with key stakeholders, including utilities, energy transaction parties, local communities, and industry leaders.

With a breakthrough year in 2020, e-commerce giant Amazon replaced Facebook at the top of the list from 2019. The firm more than doubled on the 1.546 GW that Facebook contracted to finish first in 2019, to top the list with 3.163 GW in 2020, three times more than Google in second position which secured 1.040 GW capacity.

“We’re making big investments in wind and solar energy because it can help to quickly decarbonise our business operations. Amazon is on a path to run on 100 percent renewable energy by 2025 — five years ahead of our original target of 2030,” said Kara Hurst, vice president, sustainability, Amazon. “We believe all companies have a role to play in protecting the planet. To inspire collaboration, we co-founded The Climate Pledge – with signatories committing to reaching net-zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement. We welcome REBA’s steadfast work toward enabling resilient, zero-carbon energy supplies and unlocking renewable energy for all large-scale energy buyers to help them deliver on their commitments.”

The tracker found that while the information technology (IT) sector continues to represent the highest announced renewable energy procurement by volume, industrials and materials was the top sector for new buyers, which indicates the importance of decarbonisation of industrial supply chains to meet zero-carbon goals.

Of the 98 renewable energy deals reflected in the full REBA Deal Tracker update, 82 percent were announced in organised markets and 72 percent were utility-scale solar projects. Notably, 2020 was the first year that multiple large energy buyers announced procurement that included battery storage, aligning with broader industry trends as storage technology becomes more accessible.

Furthermore, the trends also indicate a shifting focus on maximising the carbon impact of renewable energy with leading large energy buyers matching procurement to time of use and location, siting projects strategically to optimise emissions reductions and prioritising community benefits.