OAKLAND/WASHINGTON (April 13, 2017) — The 2017 Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) Summit will gather corporate buyers, service providers, developers, financiers, utilities and non-profit organizations in Santa Clara, CA, September 17-19, 2017, ahead of GreenBiz Group’s VERGE 17 conference and expo, to identify opportunities to accelerate corporate procurement of renewable energy. The two-day interactive summit organized by REBA and hosted by GreenBiz Group will focus on the fast-growing market for utility-scale renewable energy transactions.

The second annual REBA Summit aims to build a community, share challenges and advance partnerships around corporate renewable energy procurement. REBA’s goal is to deploy 60 GW of new corporate renewable energy capacity by 2025, growing the total amount of non-hydro renewables on the U.S. grid by more than 50 percent, from 107 GW in 2015.

REBA is led by four non-profit organizations that combine deep expertise in transforming energy markets: BSR’s Future of Internet Power, Rocky Mountain Institute’s Business Renewables Center, World Resources Institute’s Charge Initiative, and World Wildlife Fund’s Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles (also supported by World Resources Institute). Collectively, REBA works with more than 100 iconic, multinational companies that represent enormous demand for renewable power.

VERGE 17, September 19-21, 2017, focuses on the technologies and systems that accelerate sustainability solutions in a climate-constrained world. The three-day conference and expo convenes a diverse, cross-sector audience of more than 2,000 leaders representing the world’s largest companies, technology startups, energy producers and consumers, commercial real estate owners and the public sector — creating a unique ecosystem focused on opportunities for business, the environment and society.

Participation in the 2017 REBA Summit is by invitation-only for select corporate members and partners of REBA’s initiatives: https://www.greenbiz.com/REBA

To learn more about REBA, visit: http://rebuyers.org/

To learn more about VERGE 17, visit: http://grn.bz/VERGE17

QUOTES:

“We are proud to host this premier gathering of the world’s largest companies seeking to accelerate a clean-energy future,” said Eric Faurot, CEO of GreenBiz Group. “We hope that by bringing these leadership organizations together, we will collectively enable more companies to commit to renewable energy for their operations and facilities, as well as get the tools needed to find their way through the complex renewable energy marketplace.”

“VERGE 17 is an ideal platform to host the REBA Summit given the diverse, cross-sector audience it convenes and a focus on innovative ways to advance renewable energy, which aligns directly with the goals of REBA,” said Brian Janous, Director of Energy Strategy at Microsoft.

“We look forward to the collaboration of having two events together and find it important to convene leaders in one place to facilitate more companies moving towards renewable energy,” said Rob Threlkeld, Global Manager - Renewable Energy at General Motors.


ABOUT BSR
BSR (Business for Social Responsibility) is a global nonprofit organization that works with its network of more than 250 member companies and other partners to build a just and sustainable world. From its offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR develops sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. Visit www.bsr.org for more information about BSR’s 25 years of leadership in sustainability.

ABOUT GREENBIZ GROUP
GreenBiz Group’s mission is to define and accelerate the business of sustainability. It does this through a wide range of products and services, including its acclaimed website GreenBiz.com and e-newsletters, GreenBuzz and VERGE; webcasts on topics of importance to sustainability and energy executives; research reports, including the annual State of Green Business; the GreenBiz Executive Network, a membership-based, peer-to-peer learning forum for sustainability executives; and conferences: the annual GreenBiz forum and VERGE. www.greenbiz.com

ABOUT ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, non-partisan nonprofit that that transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. RMI through the Business Renewables Center (BRC) engages businesses to advance market-based solutions to cost-effectively shift to efficiency and renewables. We employ rigorous research, analysis, and whole-systems expertise to develop breakthrough insights. Representing all sides of the corporate renewable market, we convene and collaborate to accelerate and scale solutions. Together, BRC is targeting an additional 60 GW of wind and solar capacity to the grid by 2030.

ABOUT WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE
World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that spans more than 50 countries, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States. Our more than 450 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action to sustain our natural resources—the foundation of economic opportunity and human well-being. http://www.wri.org/

ABOUT WORLD WILDLIFE FUND WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in 100 countries for over half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more and follow our news conversations on Twitter @World_Wildlife.