PepsiCo Inc. is testing greener vending machines, a move that helps the soft drink maker reduce its environmental footprint and gives businesses a little relief on their electric bills.

The test involving 30 machines in the Washington area has just begun. Pepsi hopes to begin rolling them out worldwide over the next several years, said Robert Lewis, vice president of packaging and equipment development.

The new machines use 5.08 kilowatt-hours of energy per day, down about 15 per cent from a nationwide average of six kilowatt-hours used by current machines. Current machines already use 44 per cent less energy on average than the machines used six years ago.