Cummins Inc. has been accepted into the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge, one of 35 members pledging to reduce their scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% within 10 years.

Scope 1 emissions include direct emissions owned or controlled by an entity. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling.

“Cummins has benefited greatly from its participation in the department’s Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Mark Dhennin, the company’s Director of Energy and Environment for Facilities and Operations. “I’m confident this partnership will help us reach our aggressive carbon reduction goals for 2030.”

Other groups participating in this most recent Department of Energy (DOE) initiative range from Ford and General Motors, to the Deschutes Brewery in Central Oregon, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, which develops affordable housing in San Francisco.

Any organization with a portfolio of buildings, plants or housing in the United States is eligible to join the DOE challenge provided they are willing to set a portfolio-wide goal of at least 50% emissions reduction over 10 years. In return, they can access technical assistance for reaching their goals through the DOE’s network of national laboratories as well as “peer-exchange” opportunities through conferences, webinars, regional meetings and more.