The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Bates College for its leading role in the use of electricity from renewable sources, President Elaine Tuttle Hansen has announced.

The EPA has included Bates in its Green Power Leadership Club, which distinguishes institutions whose power purchases meet or exceed a certain proportion of renewable power. To qualify for the club, a consumer of Bates’ size would need to buy at least 18 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. But nearly 96 percent of the power that Bates purchases comes from such sources, including biomass generation, small hydro and wind power facilities.

Bates is the largest purchaser of green power both within the New England Small College Athletic Conference and among all small, private liberal arts colleges in the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, a voluntary program helping to increase the use of green power.

Bates made the switch to green power in 2005. Through the energy brokers Constellation New Energy and Sterling Planet, the college purchases more than 13.1 million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity annually. In effect, the EPA estimates, that prevents nearly 18.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide — the equivalent of the CO2 emitted by an estimated 1,800 cars — from entering the atmosphere over the next year.

“As an educational institution, Bates has a longstanding commitment to both inform its community about the environment and reflect environmental responsibility in its policies and actions,” said Hansen. “We look for ways to be good stewards of all our resources, and the purchase of green energy is one more way we can live up to this commitment.”

Much more information appears on the EPA Web site.

Seniors at Bates typically select a fund-raising project during their last year at the college, and the class of 2006 decided to help defray the added costs of renewable electricity. The drive raised $19,903.83 for the project, more than a quarter of the difference between the 2005-06 costs of green power and electricity from conventional sources.

Two hundred and sixty-six seniors, or 67.5 percent of the class, took part, along with parents, other students and alumni. David Barlow, a Bates trustee, member of the college’s class of 1979 and chairman and CEO of the Massachusetts-based Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, made matching gifts that totaled $10,000.

The senior gift co-chairs were Tracey Begley of New York City and John “Jamie” Nissen, originally of Cumberland and now a Boston resident. Other class leaders instrumental in the effort were Erin Culbreth of Montclair, N.J., and Nicole Moraco of Bedford, N.Y., members of a student team working with the college’s alumni office; and class co-presidents John Phelan of Washington, D.C., and Katharine Nolan of New York City.

“Batesies can pride themselves in ranking first among their peers in the New England Small College Athletic Conference” in the EPA listing, Phelan said. “We hope our efforts will contribute to future generations’ leadership in addressing the looming energy crisis in a progressive way.”

Bates is working on a three-to-five year strategy for implementing initiatives that will lighten its impact on the natural environment. Current initiatives run the gamut from a food-waste composting program recognized by the EPA to the use of biofuel to heat certain residential buildings.

Notably, a student residence and a dining facility now being built at Bates reflect an awareness of environmental sustainability in both their design and construction practices. Both facilities conform to sustainability standards equivalent to the “silver” certification of the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. (LEED registration and documentation were not performed.)

“Green” features in the construction process and the structures themselves include mandated recycling of construction waste; energy-efficient room design and utilities systems; stormwater management systems; low-emitting building materials; and the use of wood that’s recycled or certified “green” in the interiors.

Bates will purchase its entire electricity supply from renewable energy sources in Maine, specifically biomass generating plants and small hydroelectric producers, President Elaine Tuttle Hansen has announced.

“Bates by itself is not considered a large user by electric power suppliers,” said Hansen. But working through Maine PowerOptions, an Augusta-based nonprofit purchasing consortium, “we increased our bargaining clout by teaming with hospitals, other nonprofit organizations and local governments. We know that we have a motivated campus community that will help us reduce electricity consumption as the college commits to using renewable energy from our own state.”

According to a study completed by Camille Parrish, learning associate in environmental studies at Bates, the new arrangement will reduce the college’s greenhouse gas emissions significantly — almost to their 1990 levels.

Beth Nagusky, director of Maine’s Office of Energy Independence and Security, applauded the move. “Maine has a huge renewable power resource,” she said. “Green power purchases by customers such as Bates provide a market for both existing and new renewable resources like hydroelectric, biomass, wind, solar, tidal and landfill-gas projects.”

“Generating power from plants in Maine is a win for the state’s economy and for the environment,” she said. “We have got to reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels, and Bates is helping to lead the way.”

Hansen said that for several months, Bates Vice President for Finance and Administration Terry Beckmann and Physical Plant administrators have been monitoring energy futures. In December, Bates will end a 27-month contract for electricity derived from a variety of sources, including non-renewable fossil fuels. In early November, when market conditions were favorable, Bates locked into a new five-year contract, paying an annual additional premium of $76,000 for the renewable Maine-generated electricity, beyond the $1.8 million that “non-green” electricity would have cost.

Based in Baltimore, Md., Constellation NewEnergy will supply Bates’ electricity under the new arrangement.

Hansen also announced that a search will begin for a new Bates environmental coordinator. As recommended by the college’s Environmental Task Force, this full-time position will help Bates continue to improve its sustainable practices such as energy conservation and recycling.

“The coordinator will engage students, faculty and staff in a comprehensive effort so that, as an institution and as individuals, the entire college community can practice better environmental stewardship,” Hansen said.

“Green power is more expensive, but we are challenging everyone in our community to do what they can to reduce needless energy use,” said Beckmann. “Turning off lights, closing windows and reporting leaky faucets all seem like little things. But together, they can significantly reduce energy costs.”

Beckmann said a more comprehensive list of energy-saving suggestions for the campus community will be e-mailed by the college’s Physical Plant Department when students return from Thanksgiving break. “Remember, saving energy not only helps the budget but also reduces greenhouse gases, particularly when less oil is used. That’s a great benefit to the environment,” Beckmann said.