PSE Green Power Program in Top 10 in National Rankings

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has honored Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power Program as being one of the “Top 10” renewable energy efforts out of the more than 600 similar programs in the country. PSE’s Green Power Program ranks sixth in renewable energy sales and eighth in total number of participating customers, gaining from its 2007 national rankings of seventh in renewable energy sales and ninth in total number of customer participants.

“PSE’s Green Power Program is making a difference, with our customers’ participation helping to bring more sources of renewable energy to the grid in the Puget Sound area and across the Northwest,” said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services at PSE. “Our customers are the ones who have earned this recognition, and I’m proud that PSE can support their commitment to cleaner, greener, and smarter energy resources.”

PSE’s Green Power Program through voluntary customer participation supports the development of new renewable energy projects including wind, biomass and solar facilities in the Pacific Northwest, separate from and in addition to the wind and solar facilities that PSE builds, owns and operates. In March, Qualco Energy’s dairy digester in Monroe, Snohomish County, became the newest provider of renewable energy to PSE’s Green Power Program. The plant produces methane from cow manure to fuel a generator capable of serving the electric power needs of 280 homes and is a nonprofit partnership between diary farmers, the Tulalip Tribe and environmentalists concerned about the health of local salmon runs. PSE’s Green Power Program supports similar projects being developed by Farm Power of Mount Vernon, in Skagit and King counties.

“When PSE customers choose the Green Power Program, they are sending a clear message that they value renewable energy, and this message is having an impact right here in Western Washington,” said Kevin Maas, president of Farm Power. “Our facility in Skagit County will begin delivering renewable energy later this summer thanks to the support of the homeowners and businesses participating in PSE’s Green Power Program, and we plan to bring even more green energy online at King County dairies as well.”

Since 2004, PSE’s Green Power Program has been recognized as one of the top 10 in the country. In 2008, PSE sold 291,167 megawatt hours (MWh) to 21,509 customers, including 20,619 residential and 890 business and government customers. The 2008 figures continue to show the program’s strong growth, with energy sales up from 246,000 megawatt hours (MWh) to 20,457 customers in 2007 and 131,000 MWh to 17,426 customers in 2006.

PSE’s Green Power Program participants agree to pay an additional charge on their monthly bill, with their support going toward renewable energy projects separate from, and in addition to, the renewable energy projects PSE operates as part of its standard electric rates, such as the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility in Kittitas County and the Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility near Dayton, Columbia County.

With two participation options, customers can purchase 100 percent green power or buy a specific amount each month, with a minimum purchase of $4 per month for 320 kilowatt hours (kWh). After an initial investment, additional green power can be bought in increments of $2 for 160 kWh. An energy efficient household that uses 800 kWh per month can pay $10 to go totally green.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy\'s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by Midwest Research Institute and Battelle.

PSE has an aggressive target to have 5 percent of its more than 1 million electric customers be Green Power customers within the next five years, as compared to 2 percent currently. PSE customers wishing to sign-up for Green Power can do so at PSE.com or by calling a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482.