Dive Brief:

• In an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions, President Barack Obama has ordered federal agencies to get 20% of their electricity from renewable resources by 2020. Before, the government had a 7.5% target for this year.
• Obama's executive order calls for federal agencies to contract for renewable energy, including on-site resources.
• The order also contains provisions aimed at increasing energy efficiency in federal buildings.

Dive Insight:

Led by the Defense Department, in 2007, federal buildings accounted for 2.2% of all building energy use and 0.9% of all energy use in the country, according to the Energy Department. The federal government is the largest energy consumer in the country so the executive order should be a boost to renewable generators, especially in areas with large federal facilities. However, the Defense Department has already made strides in meeting its 25%-by-2025 renewable energy goal so the effects from the new federal goal will be somewhat muted.