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August 1998—The City of Alameda's
Bureau of Electricity will offer a green pricing option to their
electricity customers beginning in the fall. Alameda, which already
obtains more than 75% of its power resources from renewable energy
sources, will offer a "New Renewables Option," under which customers can
support "investment in future renewables or new investments for upgrades
and retrofits for existing renewable sources."
The Bureau already offers a net metering program to customers with
rooftop solar systems
See also NEW
ELECTRIC VEHICLE DISCOUNT, SOLAR SYSTEM BUY-BACK PROGRAMS FOR BUREAU
CUSTOMERS
Bureau Contact: M.T. McCabe (510) 748-3911
June 1999—The City of Ashland, Oregon is launching a pilot
program, Solar
Ashland, to deploy up to 25 kW of photovoltaics on public buildings
within the city. The installations will be funded through a combination of
grant monies supplied by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation
and customer contributions. Starting this fall, interested customers can
contribute $4 per month to support the solar projects. The City will
partner with "host" institutions to install 5-kW systems and display solar
energy educational materials for the public. In a second phase, the City,
which operates its own electric
department, hopes to market solar power and systems directly to the
Ashland public.
October 2000—Just 10 months after officially launching its GreenChoice
green pricing option, Austin
Energy has fully subscribed the initial 40 MW of renewable energy
supply. The utility plans to seek additional renewable energy supplies to
expand the program. January 2000—In what shapes up as one of the most ambitious
utility green pricing efforts to date, Austin Energy officially launched
a program that will supply its customers with 40 MW from new renewable
resources, which is enough power to serve 20,000 homes. Under the GreenChoice program,
residential and business customers will pay a premium of 0.4¢/kWh to
receive 100% renewable energy, which is among the smallest green pricing
premiums charged by utilities. In addition, Austin Energy will match
participants' subscriptions dollar-for-dollar. The utility commitment will
result in the construction of 12 large wind turbines and six landfill gas
projects. The city also plans to add to its current stock of 27 solar
installations. July 1999—The Austin City Council has authorized Austin Energy
to negotiate contracts to purchase electricity from wind and landfill gas
facilities to fuel its forthcoming "Green Power Program." Austin Energy
will negotiate ten-year contracts for the purchase of as much as 77,000
MWh of wind energy and 150,000 MWh of landfill gas electricity, enough
power to serve 22,000 typical households. Starting in September, the
utility plans to offer customers an option to purchase the green power at
a premium of 0.4¢/kWh and will match each dollar received from customer
subscriptions to purchase additional renewable power. The utility hopes to
obtain 5% of its power from renewables by the end of 2004 compared to 0.5%
today.
April 1999—On Earth Day, Austin Energy unveiled a comprehensive
plan to increase its purchases of power from renewable resources. The
"green power" initiative includes a plan to spend $1 million or 2% of
actual net revenue, whichever is greater, to purchase up to 100 megawatts
(MW) of renewable power annually for all customers. At 100 MW per year,
renewables would represent about 4% of Austin Energy's energy mix; the
utility's goal is to reach 5% by the end of 2004. February 1999—Austin Energy, the City of Austin's municipally
owned electric utility, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the
purchase of up to 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. The utility is
soliciting bids from renewable energy providers for both a fixed amount of
renewable energy annually and a variable amount based on customer demand
for the utility's green pricing program. The green pricing portion of the
RFP solicits a detailed marketing plan for promoting renewable energy in
the Austin area. The RFP defines renewables to include power generated
from solar, wind, hydro or landfill methane gas recovery. Proposals are
due on February 24, 1999.
September 1998—On August 18, the City of Austin dedicated a
32-kW, PV installation developed through the Austin Energy Solar Explorer
program. In addition to generating power for the Austin grid, the system
provides shaded parking at a local "Park and Ride." The 640, 50-watt
blocks of solar power were subscribed by more than 450 customer
participants. Austin is planning two additional projects: a 10-kW
installation that will be located at a city library and a 111-kW system at
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
November 1997—The City of Austin has opened its PV-based green
pricing program to all customers classes and has changed the monthly price
premium to $3.50 per 50-watt block. The utility changed the premium
because some customers felt that the original $7.00 per month premium (for
100 watts) was too high, and to make the program accessible to a larger
customer base.
May 1997—As of May 1, 1997, the City of Austin's PV Friendly
Pricing program had about 50 participants.
March 1997—The City of Austin has developed its green-pricing
program under the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group Technology Experience to
Accelerate Markets in Utility Photovoltaics (TEAM-UP) PV Friendly Pricing
program. The program will be very similar to Detroit Edison's
SolarCurrents program. Customers will have the opportunity to purchase
100-W increments of power from photovoltaic systems that will be in three
types of applications: shade structures for parking lots, ballast-mounted
arrays, and flat-topped commercial buildings.
Austin Energy Contact: Mark Kapner (512) 322-6123
Benton County Public
Utility District
January 2000—In December, Benton County Public Utility District
(PUD), which serves about 37,000 customers in Benton County, Washington,
became the latest Northwest utility to offer green power to its customers,
giving customers the opportunity to support power purchases from a new
landfill-gas facility. Benton customers can voluntarily pay more on their
electricity bill to support a 1-MW purchase from Klickitat PUD's Roosevelt
Regional Landfill Gas Facility. Benton pays about 3.5¢/kWh for the
landfill power, approximately 1¢/kWh more than it pays for its other power
sources. The utility needs $100,000 in annual green power revenues to
cover the higher costs of the landfill-gas purchase and will rate-base any
shortfall. To date, about 365 customers are contributing an average of
$2.50 per month.
June 1999—The City of Bowling Green (Ohio) electric utility is
offering its customers the opportunity to purchase "green power" from a
newly constructed, run-of-the-river hydro facility. Customers can purchase
up to 100% of their electricity needs, in 25% increments, through the
program at a price premium of 1.38¢ per kWh of green power purchased.
Power for the program will be supplied from a 42-MW, municipally
constructed project of which Bowling Green owns a 6-MW share. The city
will use the additional funds collected from customers to construct new
solar or wind resources next year. December 1999—Since February 1999, Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU)
has offered its customers the option of contributing $2.50 each month to
support the operation and maintenance of three 750-kW wind turbines that
were installed in November 1998 by a consortium of seven Iowa municipal
electric utilities. CFU owns two-thirds of the wind project. City Public
Service (San Antonio)
May 2000—City Public Service (CPS), the municipal electric
utility serving more than 550,000 customers in San Antonio, Texas, is
offering a wind power option to all of the city's retail customers. The
wind energy is available in 100-kWh blocks for an additional $4.00 per
month, or a premium of 4¢/kWh. Power for the Windtricity program will
eventually be supplied from a 25-MW wind project planned for West Texas.
In the meantime, CPS is purchasing 600,000 kWh of wind power each month
from an existing wind project.
November 1997—Colorado Springs Utilities has signed a contract
with Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo) for the purchase of 500 kW
of wind power through PSCo's WindSource program. The utility has started
marketing the Green
Power program and is actively seeking residential and commercial
customer subscribers. The utility, which will charge a premium of $3.00
per 100-kWh block for the wind energy, hopes to begin supplying windpower
to participating customers in April.
April 1997—Colorado Springs Utilities has expressed interest in
purchasing wind power from Public Service of Colorado (PSCo). Surveys
indicate that some customers want the utility to pursue clean energy for
environmental reasons and to gain experience with new technologies. In
March 1997, the Colorado Springs city council gave the utility permission
to pursue a wind power plan. The utility will now evaluate the marketplace
to determine if there is sufficient customer demand for power, and if so,
to negotiate with PSCo to purchase wind power from PSCo's planned wind
farm in northeastern Colorado. A decision will then be made as to whether
to go ahead with the program.
Colorado Springs Utilities Contact: Jay Francis (719) 448-8634
February 2000—Estes Park Power & Light, an electric utility
serving about 8,500 accounts in the City of Estes Park, Colorado, is
offering its customers a wind power purchase option. Under the program,
residential customers can sign up to purchase 100-kWh blocks of wind
energy for an extra $2.50 each month or 2.5¢/kWh. Business customers can
participate by purchasing a minimum of five, 100-kWh blocks for $12.50 per
month. The power will be supplied by Platte
River Power Authority from an expansion of its Medicine Bow wind
site scheduled to be completed in September 2000.
January 2000—Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) announced plans
to add two new 660-kW wind turbines to its Medicine Bow project
to meet growing customer demand for green power. The turbines will provide
additional power for the wind power programs offered by utilities in Fort
Collins, Longmont,
and Loveland,
Colorado. Some of the power will also be used to supply a new program
being developed by the town of Estes Park. The two turbines, expected to
be operational this summer, represent the second expansion of the Wyoming
project in the past year and will increase the total project capacity to
approximately 6 MW.
June 1999—Less than two months after the Eugene Water and
Electric Board (EWEB) began actively marketing its green power option,
residential customers have signed up to buy almost a quarter of the power
available. According to a June 15th article in The Eugene
Register-Guard, about 1,700 of EWEB's 66,589 residential customers
(2.6%), have signed-up for the wind power offering, which sells for a
premium of 3.2¢/kWh. February 1999—On March 1, the Eugene Water & Electric Board
will begin marketing power from its Wyoming Wind Project to
its residential customers. The 41.4 MW project is owned jointly by EWEB
(8.8 MW) and PacifiCorp (32.6
MW). EWEB hopes that 30% of its customer base, or 20,000 customers, will
sign up to receive from 10% to 100% of their electricity needs from wind
power. The price premium charged will be 3.2¢/kWh.
January 2000—Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) announced plans
to add two new 660-kW wind turbines to its Medicine Bow project
to meet growing customer demand for green power. The turbines will provide
additional power for the wind power programs offered by utilities in Fort
Collins, Longmont,
and Loveland,
Colorado. Some of the power will also be used to supply a new program
being developed by the town of Estes Park. The two turbines, expected to
be operational this summer, represent the second expansion of the Wyoming
project in the past year and will increase the total project capacity to
approximately 6 MW.
July 1999—Fort Collins Utilities announced that it is expanding
its wind power
program. The municipal utility will purchase half of the power output
from five new 660-kW wind turbines that will be built this fall by Platte River Power Authority in Medicine
Bow, Wyoming. Platte River already operates two 600-kW turbines at the
site, which supply wind energy to more than 500 customer subscribers of
the Fort Collins wind power pilot program. March 1999—The New Belgium Brewing Company, Inc., of Fort
Collins, Colorado, announced that it will buy 100% wind energy to power
the brewery's operations. New Belgium, a brewer of specialty beers, which
include Fat Tire Amber Ale, has entered into an agreement with Fort
Collins Utilities to purchase the wind energy at a premium price for 10
years. The entire 70-person staff of New Belgium voted to purchase the
wind power even though the additional cost will diminish the size of their
bonuses. May 1998—According to The Denver Post, Fort Collins Light and
Power became the first Colorado utility to supply green power to
subscribing customers when two new 600-kW wind turbines began generating
on April 13. The wind turbines are located near Medicine Bow, WY. In 1996,
Fort Collins announced a program to build one turbine for every 350
subscribing customers; the program has 13 business and 608 residential
subscribers. Construction of the turbines had been delayed by equipment
supply problems.
February 1998—The two 750-kW wind turbines that will supply
power for Fort Collins Utilities's (FCL&P) Wind Power Program will not
come on-line until May because of a supply snag. In the interim, the city
is supplying some wind power to its customers from a 65-kW wind turbine
located at the Medicine Bow wind site. Participating customers will not
begin paying the green power premium until the larger turbines are up and
running.
September 1997—Approximately 700 Fort Collins Utilities
customers have subscribed to purchase power from two 750-kW wind turbines
that are expected to begin operation no later than November 1. While
residential subscribers will be required to purchase all of their power
from the wind project for a 2¢/kWh premium, commercial customers will be
able to purchase the wind power in 1000 kWh blocks.
March 1997—In September 1996, Fort Collins Utilities, a
municipal electric utility in Colorado, announced a wind power pilot
program to be implemented through green pricing. Residential and business
customers are being offered this service for a rate premium of about 2
cents/kWh, or $10 or $15 more per month based on the average monthly
customer usage. The utility hopes to contract for as many as three wind
turbines; each turbine requires three-year commitments from 350 customer
"wind subscribers." As of January 27, 1997, 640 residential customers and
10 small commercial customers had signed up, nearly enough for two
turbines. The projected on-line date is spring or summer 1998.
FCLP Contact: Lori Clements-Grote (970) 221-6396
Gainesville Regional Utilities
March 1997—On January 11, 1997, Gainesville Regional Utilities
(GRU) completed a 10-kW photovoltaic demonstration project that is
partially funded by community donations through green pricing ($42,000).
Other funding sources include grants from the Department of Community
Affairs Florida Energy Office ($75,000) and a contract from the Utility
PhotoVoltaic Group ($40,000). The U.S. Department of Energy has pledged to
match these funds dollar for dollar, up to $50,000.
Photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof of GRU's Electric System
Control Center. GRU garnered community support for the project through its
monthly customer bulletin and inserts in the local newspaper. More than
600 customers contributed to the project during a three-year period. The
names of all community participants who contributed $50 or more are
inscribed on a plaque, which was presented at a celebration of the
project.
GRU Contact: Kathy Viehe (352) 334-3400, ext. 1035
Lansing Board of Water and
Light
August 1999—The Lansing Board of Water and Light, a municipal
utility serving 95,000 customers in and around Lansing, Michigan, has
taken the first step in developing a green pricing program by issuing a request
for proposals (RFP) for power generated from renewable resources. The
power will be used to supply a program that the Board expects to offer
beginning sometime in 2000. The utility has invited 15 companies to submit
proposals by September 7, 1999 to supply between 25 and 750 MWh each month
for a period of three years, enough power to serve between 45 and 1,300
residential customers. Lansing will consider purchasing up to 3,750 MWh
per month depending on the level of customer participation.
November 1999—Lincoln Electric System (LES) has completed the
installation of a second wind turbine to supply its "Renewable Energy Program." To date,
the utility has received customer commitments for about 2,600, 100-kWh
monthly blocks of power, for which it charges a rate premium of 4.3¢/kWh.
LES is still about 200 blocks short of fully subscribing the second
turbine. July 1999—Lincoln Electric System has contracted for a second
660-kW wind turbine to supply its "Renewable Energy Program." Plans are
for the second turbine to be operational by the end of 1999; the initial
turbine went into operation in December 1998 and has slightly exceeded its
predicted output. Nearly 2,000 of the utility's 108,000 customers have
signed up for the program which offers 100-kWh "units" of wind energy for
a price premium of 4.3¢/kWh. On average, participating customers are
purchasing about 150 kWh of wind energy per month. October 1998—Lincoln Electric System has broken ground for
construction of a 660-kW wind turbine that will serve customers of its Renewable Energy Program.
As of October 8, LES had obtained 3-year commitments from 1,381 customers
to purchase a total of 1,973 100-kWh "units of participation" on a monthly
basis. LES serves a total of about 106,000 customers.
The project has been fully subscribed since May 1998, when customers
had committed to purchase 1,400 units. LES will consider building a second
renewable energy generator when customers sign up for 2,400 units of
participation. LES is currently billing customers at $4.30 per unit, down
from $6.00 per unit, based on the expectation that the publicly owned
utility will receive a Renewable Energy Program Incentive from the U.S.
Department of Energy.
March 1998—Beginning in May 1998, Lincoln Electric System (LES)
will offer its retail customers an opportunity to purchase units of
electricity generated by a new, 750-kW wind turbine to be constructed
northeast of Lincoln. The power will be offered in 100-kWh blocks at a
price of $6 per unit—an average Lincoln home uses about 1,000 kWh per
month. Customers will begin paying for the project upon sign-up. Once
customers have committed to a total of 1,000 units of participation, LES
will proceed with the project, which could be operating by the summer of
1999.
LES Contact: Larry Pelter (402) 475-4211
Longmont Power
& Communications
January 2000—Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) announced plans
to add two new 660-kW wind turbines to its Medicine Bow project
to meet growing customer demand for green power. The turbines will provide
additional power for the wind power programs offered by utilities in Fort
Collins, Longmont,
and Loveland,
Colorado. Some of the power will also be used to supply a new program
being developed by the town of Estes Park. The two turbines, expected to
be operational this summer, represent the second expansion of the Wyoming
project in the past year and will increase the total project capacity to
approximately 6 MW.
August 1999—Longmont Power & Communications, the electric
utility serving 30,000 accounts in the City of Longmont, Colorado, is now
offering customers the option to purchase wind power. Under its wind energy
program, residential customers can sign up to purchase 100-kWh blocks
of wind energy for an extra $2.50 each month. Business customers can
participate by purchasing 500-kWh blocks for $12.50 per month.
Participating customers must commit to the wind purchases for a minimum of
one year. Longmont will begin the subscription process in September and
will provide the power starting in January 2000. About 325 customers
expressed interest through an initial marketing effort conducted in March.
Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power
August 2000—The recently concluded Democratic National
Convention held at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles was powered with wind
energy provided from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's
(LADWP) Green Power for a Green L.A. program. The wind energy is
supplied to the utility by Enron Power Marketing, Inc., under a recently
approved power purchase agreement.
November 1999—The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
(LADWP) announced that just six months after launching its Green Power for a Green L.A.
program, 20,000 customers have signed up to receive green power. This
makes LADWP the leader among utility green pricing programs in total
number of customer subscribers. With a customer base of 1.37 million,
about 1.5% of the utility's customers are participating in the program.
The utility hopes to obtain upwards of 200,000 customer participants in
the next two to three years. October 1999—Los Angeles World
Airports (LAWA), the municipal organization that governs the city's
four airports, including Los Angeles International (LAX), announced that
it will participate in the Los
Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) Green Power for a Green LA
program. Under a 10-year agreement, LAWA will gradually increase the
percentage of green power it purchases from LADWP from 10% of total
electricity use initially to 50% in 2010. LAWA hopes to purchase 100%
green power by 2015. May 1999—The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
officially launched its green pricing program on May 13. Dubbed "Green Power for a Green L.A.," the
program allows customers the option to receive 100% renewable energy at an
additional cost of only $3.00 per month for the average residential
customer. The utility will supply 20% of the power from new renewable
sources. December 1998—The Los Angeles City Council approved the green
pricing program proposed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
(LADWP). Dubbed "Green Power for a Green L.A.," the program will give
LADWP customers the choice of purchasing a portion of their electricity
from renewable energy sources. The extra cost for residential customers
purchasing 20 percent of their electricity needs as green power would be
about $3.00 per month. Business customers can also participate buy
purchasing a minimum of 500 kWh to 1,000 kWh per month, depending on their
specific size and power use. The program will be launched in the first
quarter of 1999.
August 1998—Pursuant to its recent green pricing program
announcement (see July 1998 below), the Los Angeles Department of
Water and Power (LADWP) has released a request for proposals (RFP) for "a
combination of renewables generation resources equivalent to approximately
100 megawatts with a capacity factor of 25 percent." Proposals are being
sought for new sources of renewable energy as (1) green power, (2) a
grid-intertied commercial rooftop photovoltaic system, and (3) a large
quantity of solar water heaters. LADWP expects to initially contract for
20 MW of generation, with options to increase to the full 100 MW depending
on customer response. For more information, please contact John Giese,
213-367-0434, jegiese@ladwp.com
Click
here for a description of the LADWP green pricing
program. July 1998—The board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and
Power (LADWP) unanimously endorsed two new programs that will provide
customers with green power choices. The first program will offer
residential customers the option to purchase 20% or more of their
electricity from renewable resources at a small price premium. Commercial
and industrial customers can also participate "by adding a minimum to
their total energy bill for green resources." LADWP will release a request
for proposals (RFP) for 20 MW of green power to service these customers.
The second program will allow up to 1,000 residential customers to
install photovoltaic (PV) systems on their rooftops. The PV rooftop
program will be partially subsidized with public benefits funds collected
by LADWP under California's electricity restructuring law. The Los Angeles
City Council and mayor must still approve the two programs.
LADWP will match the premiums paid under the two green power programs
with "green rewards" that can be redeemed with purchases of energy
efficient appliances. The resulting bill savings will "more than offset"
the premiums that customers will pay for the green power.
Click
here for a description of the LADWP green pricing program.
Press release - LADWP Project
Harnesses Sunlight into Energy LADWP Contact: John Giese 1-800-GreenLA
City of Loveland Water & Light
January 2000—Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) announced plans
to add two new 660-kW wind turbines to its Medicine Bow project
to meet growing customer demand for green power. The turbines will provide
additional power for the wind power programs offered by utilities in Fort
Collins, Longmont,
and Loveland,
Colorado. Some of the power will also be used to supply a new program
being developed by the town of Estes Park. The two turbines, expected to
be operational this summer, represent the second expansion of the Wyoming
project in the past year and will increase the total project capacity to
approximately 6 MW.
August 1999—The City of Loveland Water & Light, which serves
about 23,000 accounts, is also offering both residential and business
customers the option to purchase 100-kWh blocks of wind power for
$2.50/month. The utility began signing up customers earlier this year. As
of April, about 215 customers, including 3 businesses, had signed up to
purchase 416 blocks, fully subscribing the program. The utility has
established a waiting list for other customers. August 1998—Moorhead Public Service (MPS) reports that it has
selected NEG Micon to supply the 750-kW wind turbine for its green pricing
program. The turbine bid came in below the initial cost estimate. More
than 400 customers signed up to participate in the program and more than
100 others have been placed on a waiting list; MPS serves 13,000 customers
in total. Turbine construction will begin this fall with initial
electricity production expected by June 1999.
June 1998—In May 1998, Moorhead Public Service (Moorhead, MN)
announced that it signed up more than 400 residential and commercial
customers to participate in its "Capture the Wind" green pricing program.
Based on this response, the utility will construct a 750-kW wind turbine
that is expected to be operational in 1999. Participating customers will
pay a green power premium of only 0.5¢/kWh. Residential customers can
purchase all of their electricity (or blocks of 1000 kWh per month) from
the wind project, while commercial customers can purchase the wind energy
in 1500-kWh blocks. Customers must commit to the program for a minimum of
three years.
Moorhead Public Service Contact: Carol Renner (218) 299-5400
Nebraska Public Power
District
February 1999—The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)
announced that it will offer its customers a voluntary program through
which they can contribute to a utility-managed fund for new renewables
development. Participation in the program will require a minimum
contribution of $6.00 per month and business participation will be
encouraged. Based on participation rates in similar "green" energy
programs in the Midwest, NPPD projects that as many as 11,500 Nebraskans
may choose to participate in its "Prairie Power" program.
August 1999—The New Smyrna Beach Utilities Commission recently
launched a green pricing contribution program to fund local renewable
energy projects. The municipal utility's 20,000 customers can now donate
$5 or $10 per month to support the installation of solar electric systems
on area schools. A 4-kW photovoltaics (PV) system (to be paid for with
future contributions) was installed on a local elementary school. The city
has set a goal of installing 150 kW of PV over the next 4 years through
the green pricing program and other solar energy programs. The utility has
also initiated a buy-down program that enables customers to purchase
rooftop PV systems for $2/watt. The Legal Environmental Assistance
Foundation (LEAF), which is working with Florida's utilities to
increase energy efficiency and the use of solar energy, has labeled New
Smyrna Beach "Florida's Premier Solar City."
September 2000—The board of the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
unanimously voted to enter into negotiations for the construction of a new
landfill gas facility to supply a green pricing program. Although program
details have not been developed, OPPD plans to charge participating
customers a "slightly higher rate" for the green power. Assuming that an
agreement is reached with the landfill owner, Waste Management Inc., the
6.4-MW facility could be operational as early as January 2002. OPPD serves
more than 280,000 customers in southeast Nebraska.
March 2000—On March 6, the Palo Alto (CA) City Council
unanimously approved a program through which the City of Palo Alto Utilities will offer
residents a green power purchase option. The program will be formally
announced in April on Earth Day. January 2000—Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) announced plans
to add two new 660-kW wind turbines to its Medicine Bow project
to meet growing customer demand for green power. The turbines will provide
additional power for the wind power programs offered by utilities in Fort
Collins, Longmont,
and Loveland,
Colorado. Some of the power will also be used to supply a new program
being developed by the town of Estes Park. The two turbines, expected to
be operational this summer, represent the second expansion of the Wyoming
project in the past year and will increase the total project capacity to
approximately 6 MW.
October 1999—In early October, Platte River Power Authority
(PRPA) completed installation of five new, 660-kW wind turbines at its
Medicine Bow site in Wyoming. The turbines are providing power to a
variety of Colorado-based utility customers. March 1997—Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) is supplying the
wind power for both programs. The City of Loveland is already receiving
power from PRPA's Medicine Bow (Wyoming)
wind site. PRPA is adding five more turbines at the existing site,
with a portion of the project output earmarked to supply the Longmont and
Loveland programs. November 1999—Roseville Electric, a municipal utility in
northern California, plans to offer its customers a green power option.
The Roseville City Council approved the green power plan in conjunction
with a decision to phase in retail competition for all of its electricity
customers by 2005. Sacramento Municipal
Utility District (SMUD)
March 2000—Expressing disappointment with customer participation
to date, the Sacramento Municipal Utility
District (SMUD) wants to step up the marketing of its green pricing
program. The utility's "Greenergy" program offers
customers the option to receive either 50% or 100% of their electricity
from renewable resources for an additional 0.5¢/kWh or 1.0¢/kWh,
respectively. December 1999—According to a November 28th article in the Sacramento Bee, a new, 8.3-MW electric
generating facility constructed at Sacramento County's Kiefer landfill is
now providing power for Sacramento Municipal Utility District's (SMUD) Greenergy program. SMUD
signed a 15-year contract to purchase the entire plant output.
September 1998—Bud Beebe at the Sacramento Municipal Utility
District reports that signups for the utility's Greenergy program have
more than doubled during 1998 to 4,500 customers or about 1% of total
residential customers. He attributes the growth to the use of envelope
"bangtails" (the detachable flap on the back of the bill payment envelope)
and marketing efforts at summer concerts and home shows. The Greenergy
program allows SMUD customers to choose to receive 100% of their power
from renewable energy sources for an additional rate charge of 1.0¢/kWh or
a 50% renewables service for an additional 0.5¢/kWh. Beebe made his
comments at IBC's 2nd Annual Marketing Green Power Conference on September
18.
August 1998—Calpine Corporation has completed its purchase of a
72-megawatt geothermal power plant from the Sacramento Municipal Utility
District (SMUD). SMUD will purchase 50 megawatts of electricity from the
plant, located in The Geysers area of northern California, through 2001 at
market prices, plus a renewable power premium. SMUD also received an
option to purchase 10 megawatts of peak power production from 2002 through
2005. Calpine will sell electricity not committed to SMUD into
California's green power market.
February 1998—The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
announced that it will purchase power from an 8.3-MW landfill gas plant
scheduled to come on-line in December 1998. This project will be one of
the first newly constructed renewable resources to supply power for SMUD's
Greenergy program.
November 1997—Calpine Corporation, of San Jose, California, has
entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Sacramento Municipal
Utility District (SMUD) to acquire an existing 72-MW geothermal power
plant. SMUD will purchase at least 50 MW of the power from the plant and
Calpine will market the remaining electricity into California's green
power market. With the purchase expected to be completed in July, Calpine
could begin marketing power as early as August.
August 1997—In June 1997, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
(SMUD) rolled out two new Greenergy programs for both
residential and commercial customers. The Renewables Energy Option gives
customers the option to buy all or part of their electricity from new
grid-based renewable resources at a cost of between 0.5 and 1.0¢/kWh in
excess of the present rate. The Community Solar program allows customers
to contribute 1.0¢/kWh for the purchase and installation of photovoltaic
systems on schools, churches, and other community facilities. SMUD has
selected the Sacramento Zoo as the initial site for the Community Solar
program.
In PV Pioneer news, the SMUD Board of Directors approved a $9.4 million
contract for at least 2.5 megawatts of building-integrated photovoltaics
through 2002. As a result, homebuyers within SMUD's service territory will
soon be able to purchase new homes powered by solar shingles, which will
generate about 75 percent of the average yearly electricity needs for each
home. Homeowners will own their systems and have the opportunity to sell
any surplus power back to the utility. SMUD will buy-down half of the cost
of the $17,000 systems.
May 1997—The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
approved two new green pricing options for full-service customers: a
renewable energy option and a solar option, which will become available to
customers on June 1, 1997. The renewable energy option, called the
Greenergy Program, will blend renewable resources and is limited to
specific renewable energy contracts. It will be offered to customers for
an additional charge of from 0.5¢/kWh to 2¢/kWh. The solar option, called
the Community Solar Program, will involve a 1¢/kWh to 2¢/kWh premium
charge to fund construction of a solar system at a community site. This
solar option is being offered in addition to SMUD's Solar Pioneer rooftop
PV program.
March 1997—The PV Pioneers program at SMUD is a program in which
customers elect to pay a $4 flat monthly fee for 10 years to have a 2-4 kW
grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) panel installed on their rooftops. SMUD
installs, operates, maintains, and owns the hardware. Total participation
in the program as of January 1996 was 350 customers for a total of 1216
kW. SMUD receives approximately 1000 new applicants each year and has
added approximately 100 customers to the program each year since 1993. The
PV Pioneers program is one piece of SMUD's overall PV commercialization
program.
SMUD contacts: Bud Beebe (916) 732-5254 and William Layne (916)
732-6644
September 1998—The Salt River Project reports that 1,900
customers have requested about 2,900, 100-watt blocks of solar power
offered by the utility, easily meeting the 1,000 block commitment
necessary to fully subscribe the output from a 100-kW plant that is under
construction. Customer purchases are limited to 3 blocks of power, for
which the utility charges a premium of $3.00 per month per block. As a
result of the large response, SRP has decided to construct a second solar
plant.
August 1998—Following on the heels of Arizona Public
Service, the Salt River Project (SRP) announced that it will provide a
solar energy purchase option to its customers. SRP is building a 100 kW,
single-axis tracking photovoltaic plant at its Santan Power Plant in
Gilbert, AZ. Construction is expected to be completed in late September.
November 2000—Santee
Cooper, a state-owned electric and water utility in South Carolina,
announced that it will build a 2.2-megawatt landfill gas facility in Horry
County and sell the output to customers at a premium price. The green
power will be sold in blocks to Santee Cooper and Horry Electric
Cooperative customers at a price that is "several cents more per
kilowatt-hour than conventional power." Southern
Minnesota Municipal Power Agency
August 2000—Southern
Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA), which serves 18 municipal
utilities in southern Minnesota, has entered into an agreement with Northern Alternative Energy (NAE) to
construct a 900-kilowatt wind turbine for the utility's new green pricing
program. Starting this fall, residential customers of participating member
utilities can sign up to purchase wind power in 100 kilowatt-hour blocks
at a yet-to-be-determined rate premium. The wind turbine is expected to be
operating by February 2001.
May 1997—Pursuant to settlement agreements with the Legal
Environmental Assistance Foundation (LEAF), Florida Power & Light
(FP&L) and the City of Tallahassee will develop green pricing programs
to support construction of PV systems. FP&L will develop a 10-kW solar
photovoltaic (PV) unit at one of its power plants, using bill inserts and
direct mailings to solicit customers for the program. Tallahassee will
match customer contributions up to $250,000 to install a 10-kW solar PV
system on a building within the city.
City of Tallahassee Contact: Sam Bell (901) 891-8200
May 2000—Tacoma Power, which serves more than 140,000 customers
in Washington, has launched a green pricing pilot program for its
customers. The power for the EverGreen
Options program will be supplied by the Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA) from a blend of low-impact hydro and wind power.
Residential customers can participate by paying an extra $3, $6, or $10
each month while business customers can participate by paying an extra $6
to $100 each month, depending on the size of the business and the level of
commitment. March 1997—Traverse City Light & Power operates a green
pricing program for its residential and small commercial customers.
Residential customers make a 3-year commitment; commercial customers make
a 10-year commitment, to pay a 1.58-cents/kWh premium to purchase 100% of
their power from a 600-kW wind turbine constructed during the spring of
1996. The premium represents a 17% to 25% increase in the average monthly
bill. There are 145 residential and 22 commercial customers participating,
representing 3.1% of the customer base. An additional 80 customers are on
a wait list. As of February 1997, participating customers have received
their bills under the program for 6 months and are satisfied. Except for
one withdrawl due to hardship, no complaints have been reported. The
utility is preparing a 4-by-4 window sticker that identifies the
participant as a "green rate customer" for distribution.
TCL&P Contact: Steve
Smiley, Bay Energy Services (616) 386-9232
July 1999—The Modesto Bee reported that the Turlock Irrigation District (TID) will
offer a small-hydro-based electricity product to its customers beginning
in August. Billing itself as "the first municipal utility in the United
States to offer a 100 percent small hydro green product," the utility will
offer "TID Green Valley Energy" for an additional monthly fee of $3.50 to
$8.50 depending on the type of customer subscribing. The power will come
from small hydro plants that Turlock already owns and operates on its
irrigation canal system. Turlock also owns a 68% share of the 203-MW Don
Pedro hydro facility and part of a geothermal power plant in Lake County.
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