A renewable future

In 2015 we used 6,291,628 kilowatt hours (kWh)* of electricity to power our offices and data centers, resulting in the emission of 2,317 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)*. Our strategy for addressing this portion of our greenhouse gas footprint involves both energy efficiency measures to reduce our use and investments in on- and off-site renewable electricity. In April of 2016, we committed to being powered by 100% renewable electricity by 2020. We began to lay the groundwork for this ambitious goal in 2015.

Some of the key actions we took to move us towards our 2020 goal included working with landlords and data center providers to explore the procurement of both on- and off-site renewable electricity. At the site of our future global headquarters in Brooklyn, we’ve built a small rooftop solar array to power a portion of our building operations. In addition, we’re exploring local, off-site solar projects to address the remainder of our office’s electricity needs. At our data centers we made renewables a priority in contract negotiations. Etsy signed a multi-year contract in which our data center provider, CoreSite, committed to powering Etsy’s data operations with electric power generated entirely from renewable energy sources within four years. By making renewables a binding priority, Etsy has incentivized CoreSite to seek solutions that fit our needs in order to retain our business.

At Etsy, we recognize our impact can extend beyond the boundaries of our own operations and marketplace to our community and to other companies and organizations. To drive further innovation and positive change in renewable energy, we’ve joined three industry working groups: Business for Social Responsibility’s Future of Internet Power, the Rocky Mountain Institute Business Renewables Center, and the Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles. By participating in these working groups, we’re able to learn from our peers as well as help drive large-scale change in the world.

In 2015, 19% of our electricity in our offices and data centers came from renewable sources. We both actively purchase renewables through local energy providers and tap into renewables that are part of the power grid mix already being offered in cities where we’re located. This number is up 10 percentage points from 2014, which we largely attribute to switching to renewable options provided by our utility companies in our Hudson and Dublin offices and increased utilization of Sabey, our carbon neutral, hydro-powered data center. While we don’t retain the renewable energy certificates from green energy purchased through our suppliers, sending the message to our utility companies that we actively support renewable options is a priority for us.

*Etsy commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PwC") to provide third-party assurance of this data (for the period from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015) in our 2015 Progress Report. For full details, see PwC's Report of Independent Accountants