(Source: Business Wire)Kohl's Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) will be named Green Power Partner of the Year during the annual Green Power Leadership Awards held Monday, Sept. 14 in Atlanta, Ga. Co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), the Green Power Leadership Awards recognize the actions of organizations, programs and individuals that significantly advance the development of green power resources in three categories: on-site generation, green power purchase and Partner of the Year.

"To receive the Green Power Partner of the Year Award is a tremendous honor," said Ken Bonning, Kohl's executive vice president of store planning and logistics. "Since joining the Green Power Partnership in 2006, Kohl's has continually demonstrated our support of green power through increasing our purchase of renewable energy credits, expanding our solar initiative and implementing strategies to manage our energy usage in an environmentally responsible way. We strive to set an example of how a business can consistently implement and explore sustainable solutions that make sense for the bottom line, the environment and the communities we serve."

This is the third consecutive year Kohl's will receive a Green Power Leadership Award, earning recognition for green power purchase in 2007 and on-site generation in 2008. This is Kohl's first time receiving the Green Power Partner of the Year Award, which recognizes four EPA Green Power Partners annually who distinguish themselves through their green power purchases, leadership, overall strategy and impact on the green power market.

"EPA's Green Power Leadership Award winners are raising the bar for green power purchasing," said Kathleen Hogan, Director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "By using renewable energy, Kohl's Department Stores is helping our environment by leading our national transition to clean energy; they are a model for others to follow."

Kohl's Earns Top-10 Rankings for Green Power Purchases and On-Site Generation

Kohl's currently ranks second in retail, fourth overall and fourth among Fortune 500 companies on EPA's list of top Green Power Purchasers with a 2009 green power purchase of 600,990,000 kWh -- more than double Kohl's previous green power commitment and enough to meet 50 percent of the company's purchased electricity use. According to U.S.