Page 355 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

330 Cha pte r Ei g h tee n

among the first U.S. electric utilities to acknowledge the problem
of global warming. According to Chief Executive Officer, Michael
Morris: “Electricity is necessary for a modern society, yet its very
production has adverse impacts on society. AEP produces more green-
house gases than most electric companies in the United States, so
we have an increased responsibility to be part of the climate change
solution, internationally, nationally, and locally.”
Accordingly, the company has been investing in “cleaner” ad -
vanced coal technologies, including carbon capture and sequestration,
ultrasupercritical pulverized coal, and Integrated Gasification Com-
bined Cycle (IGCC). In addition, AEP is diversifying its energy gen-
eration portfolio; in fact, the company by the end of next year will
own, operate or have purchased almost 2000 megawatts of wind, or
more than 5% of its total generating capacity. At the same time, AEP
has been active in promoting sensible legislation for climate change
mitigation. This has included public support for the Bingaman-Specter
bill in 2006 and the Boucher-Dingell draft bill in 2008—both cap and
trade climate bills with sizeable greenhouse gas reductions.
AEP’s 2007 sustainability report sets forth a number of key areas
that the company will address in the coming years, including climate
change; environmental performance; public policy; energy security,
reliability and growth; work force issues; stakeholder engagement;
and leadership, management, and strategy [6]. For example, the com-
pany has set itself the following challenges and goals:
• Achieve 1,000 MW reduction in demand by 2012 with 15%
coming from AEP actions (such as operating efficiency) and
85% from customer programs.
• Work with its supply chain partners, including coal sup -
pliers, on improving environmental, safety, and health per-
formance.
• Work constructively to help develop a Federal cap-and-trade
program for greenhouse gas emissions that does not unfairly
harm the U.S. economy or coal utility customers.
• Implement strategic actions to reduce carbon emissions by
about 5 million metric tons per year as new generating plants
come online beginning in 2010.
• Develop a diverse portfolio of generating technologies to
assure a secure energy future, including addition of 1000 MW
of wind power by 2011.

High-Voltage Transmission Line Design
An example of AEP’s adherence to sustainability principles was the
design of a new 765 kV transmission line, known as the Wyoming-
Jacksons Ferry line, which runs through a 90-mile corridor in Virginia