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Green Power
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"For residential NIMO and NYSEG Customers"
Everything you always wanted to know about buying green power for your home (but were afraid to ask).
Care about the environment? Want clean air? Concerned about global warming? Interested in kicking the fossil fuel habit and promoting clean, renewable energy technologies? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions...
MAKE GREEN POWER YOUR CHOICE!
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| Five of Fenner Wind Farm’s twenty 1.5 megwatt wind turbines sprout from farmer’s fields. |
Our local electric utilities -- Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NiMo) and New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) -- are now offering their residential customers a choice of energy suppliers. In 2002 the list of suppliers increased to include suppliers who provide electricity produced from wind, hydro and biomass renewable energy. It's easy to sign up and the modest additional cost of “green power” is a small price to pay to promote the clean energy technologies of the future and to reduce the environmental impacts associated with your own electricity use.
Having the choice to buy green power is a long-awaited benefit of New York's electric industry deregulation. Let's take advantage of it! Make the switch to clean renewable energy to meet your residential electric needs!
A coalition of Western New York, statewide, and national environmental and community groups have organized a green power education project called WNY GREEN POWER IS CLEAN POWER. On behalf of this coalition, here is some information about green power, including instructions on how to buy green power for your home. This is intended to be a comprehensive discussion so that all your questions are answered! However, if you are already convinced of the merits of green power and are anxious to find out who is selling it and how to buy it, just scroll down to the sections of interest.
What is Green Power?
Green power is electricity that is generated using clean energy resources. These resources include wind, solar, biomass (energy from trees and plants), geothermal, and low-impact hydro. Additionally, electricity generated by burning methane gas produced by landfills is considered green power because it is better to burn landfill gas and put it to work than to vent it directly to the atmosphere. Companies selling green power to NiMo and NYSEG customers are providing power from wind turbines, low-impact hydro, biomass, and landfill gas.
What kind of electric power am I now receiving? And what are the environmental and human health effects of this conventional power?
NiMo's electricity comes from the following sources: nuclear power (29%), hydro (28%), coal (18%), natural gas (16%), oil (7%), and solid waste (1%). NYSEG's mix is natural gas (38%), nuclear power (26%), hydro (17%), coal (13%), and oil (5%).
Nuclear power produces radioactive wastes, which must be stored for tens of thousands of years, and poses the risk of human exposure to radiation in the event of an accident or terrorist attack. While coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, burning any fossil fuel -- coal, oil or natural gas -- in electric generating plants produces emissions which contribute to smog, acid rain (sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) and global warming (carbon dioxide).
The human health effects of fossil fuel burning are equally troubling. The sulfur dioxide produced by fossil-fired power plants, even at very low levels, is a powerful asthma trigger. Also produced are nitrogen oxides which are a major contributor to ground level ozone, an ingredient of summer smog which is a powerful respiratory irritant that burns lung tissue, triggers asthma attacks, and leads to more visits and admissions to hospitals when levels are high. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides also have been linked to fine particle formation. In New York State, power plant fine particle emissions cause 1,800 premature deaths, 37,000 asthma attacks, and 1,200 respiratory-related hospitalizations each year.
(NiMo and NYSEG generation data from 2001 as per NYS Public Service Commission -- Environmental Disclosure Labels WebPages. See: http://www.dps.state.ny.us/EnvLabels.html.)
How does green power compare?
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| Wind turbine nacelle 220 feet above the ground at Fenner Wind Farm near Utica, NY. |
In contrast to electricity from conventional fossil fuel and nuclear sources, green power is much cleaner.
Wind power produces no pollutants. Other impacts can be minor. Properly sited wind farms are visually attractive and have minimal impact on bird populations. Also, wind machines have very small footprints and thus are compatible with farming and other land uses. The operation of one large 1.5 megawatt wind turbine annually prevents 6,175,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 30,700 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 12,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides from entering the atmosphere from conventional power plants feeding the New York State grid. The carbon dioxide emissions reduction alone is equal to planting 420,000 trees or not driving almost 7 million miles.
Generating electricity from solar photovoltaic panels also produces no emissions, though it is generally not cost competitive at this time. Hydroelectricity produced by smaller, older dams is generally considered “green” because smaller dams individually have relatively low impacts on water flow, water quality, fish, and land use. Biomass can be burned relatively cleanly and it doesn't contribute to global warming if new crops or plants are grown to replace the ones that are harvested and burned. Wind, solar, hydro, and biomass are examples of renewable energy, all ultimately powered forever by the sun – which, as we all know, rises every morning!
Landfill gas is an inevitable by-product of storing our wastes landfills. While burning this gas to generate electricity is not pollution-free, it is consider “green” because it prevents unburned methane from entering the atmosphere (where it would act as a potent greenhouse gas and contribute to global warming) and it displaces fossil fuels.
If I buy green power, do I still continue to do business with NiMo or NYSEG? What is the role of my utility?
Your electric utility -- NiMo or NYSEG-- will continue to be responsible for the local distribution system and delivery of whatever electricity you purchase for your home. If a power line falls during a storm or a transformer fails, NiMo or NYSEG will be responsible for repair.
How is billing handled?
NiMo customers will get one bill that shows costs for delivery (owed to NiMo) as well as costs for the green power you have purchased (owed to your green power supplier). When you pay NiMo, NiMo will make sure your green power supplier is paid.
NYSEG customers will receive two bills – one for NYSEG’s delivery services and one for green power. NYSEG’s billing system does not allow for single billing.
Be patient, it may take as long as two months for your green power purchase to show up on your bill.
If I have already selected an electricity supplier other than NiMo or NYSEG, can I buy green power?
Yes, though you may receive an additional bill. Contact the green power supplier of your choice for details. In all cases, NiMo or NYSEG will still continue to deliver your electricity.
If I buy green power, how much more will it cost?
Green power costs anywhere from 0.6 cents to 2.5 cents more per kilowatt hour of electricity than the conventional power currently supplied by your utility.
Needless to say, not all green power products are equal. Green power prices vary, depending on which supplier you sign up with and what kind of green power product you buy. Pricing and product options are shown below.
These premiums add a few dollars to your monthly electric bill. For example, if your household consumes 400 kilowatt hours of electricity a month and you spend two cents extra per kilowatt hour to buy green power, then your monthly electric bill would increase just $8 – or about $25 cents a day -- a small price to pay to kick the fossil fuel and nuclear habit!
How can I reduce the cost of green power?
An obvious (and very environmental) way of reducing additional costs associated with buying green power is to reduce the amount of energy you use! For example, if you installed compact fluorescent light bulbs in all of your most frequently used light fixtures, you would reduce the amount of electricity you use and thus the amount of green power you need to buy. That would lower your cost for green power. In fact, if you conserve enough energy at the same time you buy green power, your overall electric bill might not increase at all! You would benefit and so would the environment! (See energy saving suggestions below.)
If I purchase green power, does the clean electricity I buy actually get to my home? Will only "green electrons" be delivered to my house?
No. The actual electrons you receive will be a mix of all the electricity produced by power plants and generators connected to the transmission grid. However, your purchase of green power pays for clean energy to go into the grid. As more people buy green power, the number of wind turbines, biomass-powered turbines, and other green generators will increase -- gradually changing the mix of generation in favor of cleaner technologies. As the mix changes, the environmental benefits of green power will accrue, and the electric industry will become less polluting. Meanwhile, you can have the satisfaction of being part of the solution and not part of the problem.
How do I know that the green power I am paying for is actually produced and delivered into the electric grid?
The New York State Public Service Commission matches customer loads with actual green supply in order to make sure no less green power is produced than is sold.
Is green power just as reliable as conventional electric power?
Yes, it travels through the same wires which are maintained by your electric utility. Moreover, if your green power supplier has an outage and is temporarily unable to supply green power to the grid, your local utility will continue to supply your house with electricity from conventional sources. Moreover, irrespective of temporary outages, your green power supplier is obliged to supply the grid with the full amount of green electricity that you purchased.
Wind and solar are intermittent power sources that generate electricity when the wind blows and the suns shines. Hydro depends on seasonal rain and snowfall. How can suppliers of these kinds of green power meet the electricity demands of their customers?
In order to be able to market intermittent green power generation, special accounting rules had to be established. Here’s how they work. On an hourly or daily basis, your green power producer may not be matching your electrical demand and instead it may be met in part from other sources. But all green power companies authorized to do business with NiMo and NYSEG customers must report to the Public Service Commission and demonstrate that every three months they have put the same amount of electricity into the grid that their customers purchased – thus guaranteeing that sale and generation quantities are the same and that the full promised environmental benefits actually occur.
What should I look for when purchasing green power? What kind of green power provides the most environmental benefit for our region and our children?
While price may be a factor, it's important to realize that not all green power products are equal. Some are cleaner than others. Some are more likely to be further developed in New York State and thus shift our generating mix toward clean power.
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| This 1.5 megwatt turbine weighs in at 92 tons. It’s blades reach 328 feet into the air. The blades complete one revolution every 3 to 5 seconds. Each turbine produces about 4,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, enough for about 500 average households. |
Wind
Wind power is clean -- it produces no pollutants. And when wind power is purchased, existing new wind farms become profitable -- prompting wind developers to build the next wind farm. That shifts the mix toward clean generation. Moreover, there is a vast potential for more “home-grown” wind in New York. The same cannot be said of hydro or landfill gas generation.
Hydroelectricity
The hydro currently sold as green power in New York is from smaller, older dams with limited water flow, water quality, fish, and land use environmental impacts. This might not be the case if power from larger dams is marketed as “green” in the future. Since there is not much opportunity to expand low impact hydro in New York, buying hydro green power is unlikely to result in further low impact hydro development in our region.
Biomass
Defining green or environmentally sustainable biomass-generated electricity has proved difficult and contentious. Biomass can be so broadly defined to include unsustainably harvested forest timber, contaminated waste wood, municipal solid waste, and tires. Some definitions include landfill gas, while some do not. Environmental groups are pushing for a more narrow definition of biomass green power which excludes burning garbage and limits biomass to sources such as forest-related harvesting residue, landscaping and right-of-way trimmings, and agricultural crops and crop by-products. Additionally, biomass must be burned cleanly to be green, and this is not a given. Burning landfill gas is viewed by environmentalists as an environmentally sound practice, but many object to characterizing it as biomass energy.
Landfill Gas
While it is much better to burn the methane in landfill gas than vent it un-burnt into the atmosphere, burning landfill gas is not pollution-free. Also, the prospects for substantially increasing landfill gas generation are limited.
Thus, buying wind power is the best option for promoting new renewable energy development in New York State --though purchasing electricity produced from a mix of renewables is still much better than receiving electricity from conventional sources. All the companies selling green power to NiMo and NYSEG customers offer products which contain at least some wind power, ranging from 20% to 100% wind. By spending a few extra dollars a month to buy green power for your home, you can significantly reduce your dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power and help promote a clean, healthy, renewable energy future.
What is the potential of wind energy in New York State? And how well are we doing developing it?
Wind studies indicate that New York State may be able to generate as much as 10,000 megwatts of wind energy, enough to meet 20% of our electric needs. But, as of January 2003, only 50 megawatts of this capacity – enough for 16,500 average households -- has been developed. And of that amount, only 12 megawatts was being sold at a price high enough to make it worthwhile for wind developers to keep developing more wind farms.
Will my green power purchase really make a difference?
Currently, an additional 300 megawatts of wind power are being scouted for development in New York State. These projects are much more likely to go ahead if the remaining 38 megawatts of newly installed existing New York wind capacity (enough for 13,000 average households) is purchased by green power consumers. That small increment of a couple cents per kilowatt hour can make all the difference between investment and non-investment in more wind power and the future development of renewable energy in our state. So, yes, your green power purchase now can make a huge difference --as wind power gets off the ground in New York!
OK, I'm sold on green power! How do I buy some?
First, decide what product or option you want and contact the company that offers it. You can sign up with a phone call or by filling out a form on the company website. You will need to know your NiMo or NYSEG account number which can be found on your electric bill. Note that green power suppliers are in the process of refining their product offerings. When you contact these companies, be sure to ask them about all their current green power options in case there have been changes.
Niagara Mohawk Customers
NiMo customers have three companies to choose from: Community Energy, Green Mountain Energy, and Sterling Planet. Additionally, two non-profit organizations offer NiMo customers the option of buying green power: the Energy Cooperative of New York and the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). They offer the following products:
Community Energy
Contact: 1-866-WIND-123 (1-866-946-3123). http://www.newwindenergy.com
Option 1: 100% new wind energy -- 2.5 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Option 2: 50% new wind energy & 50% existing hydro -- 1.3 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Option 3: 100% new wind energy in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours. Two block minimum. $2.50 per block (equal to 2.5 cents per KWH).
EnviroGen
Contact: (716) 631-1517, http://www.envirogen.net
Product: 75% landfill-gas generated; 25% existing hydro -- 1.0 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Green Mountain Energy
Contact: 1-866-716-9315. http://www.greenmountain.com
Product: 50% new wind energy & 50% existing hydro -- 1.3 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Sterling Planet
Contact: 1-800-473-1362. http://www.sterlingplanet.com
Sterling Planet offers three options which provide green power for various fractions of your monthly electrical consumption, i.e. 100%, 75%, and 50%. These options supply the remainder of your electrical needs with conventional (non-green) power from the New York State power grid. Each of these options contains a different mix of wind, hydro, biomass, and conventional power. Sterling Planet reports that in 2003 its “biomass” energy resource will likely include recovered methane from landfills and clean wood waste from tree clippings.
Option 1: 40% new wind energy, 30% existing hydro; 30% biomass -- 1.5 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Option 2: 30% new wind energy, 22.5% existing hydro; 22.5% biomass; 25% conventional sources from power grid – 1.13 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Option 3: 20% new wind energy, 15% existing hydro; 15% biomass, 50% conventional sources from power grid -- 0.75 cents extra per kilowatt hour.
Energy Cooperative of New York
Contact: 716-842-1697 x 203; 1-800-422-1475 x 203. http://www.ecny.org
Product: 80% landfill gas generation, 20% wind -- 1.1 cents extra per kilowatt hour. (Note that by joining the Energy Cooperative, an additional 0.5 cents per kilowatt hour discount applies, reducing the premium cost of its green power product to 0.6 cents per kilowatt hour. Call for details.)
NYPIRG Fuel Buyers Group-Windpower
Contact: 1-800-695-4645. windpower@nypirg.org. http://www.nypirg.org
Product: 100% new wind energy in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours. Two block minimum. $2.25 per block (equal to 2.25 cents per KWH).
NYSEG Customers
NYSEG customers have two choices:
Community Energy
Contact: 1-800-356-9734. http://www.newwindenergy.com
Product: 100% new wind energy in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours. Two block minimum. $2.50 per block (equal to 2.5 cents per KWH).
NYPIRG Fuel Buyers Group-Windpower
Contact: 1-800-695-4645. windpower@nypirg.org. http://www.nypirg.org
Product: 100% new wind energy in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours. Two block minimum. $2.25 per block (equal to 2.25 cents per KWH).
Is green power available to NiMo and NYSEG commercial and institutional customers?
Yes! The NiMo program and green power offerings for other customer classes are explained at: http://www.niagaramohawk.com/enrgchoice/programs/renew-comm.html
NYSEG has a “Catch the Wind” green power program for its commercial and institutional customers. To learn more, NYSEG commercial customers should call their NYSEG marketing representative or 1-800-356-9734.
As part of its “Clean and Green Wind Energy Program,” NYPIRG also offers a 100% new wind energy product to commercial and institutional customers. Contact: 1-800-695-4645. windpower@nypirg.org. http://www.nypirg.org
Are there other ways to buy green power for my home or business?
Yes. The NiMo and NYSEG green power programs (and the suppliers listed above) deliver the green power you purchase from them directly into the New York power grid. But if you don’t care about where your green power is generated, you can buy it from a remote producer anywhere in the world by buying “green tags.” These tags (also know as “Tradable Renewable Certificates”) are a tradable commodity and represent the environmental attributes of a certain amount of renewable energy. They also represent the market value of the cost premium associated with generating an increment of green power. By buying green tags, you are providing a renewable energy developer with financial support to build renewable energy generation. In return, the developer assigns you credit for a portion of the environmental benefit of that generation.
From a global environmental perspective, buying green tags from a wind power developer outside New York is similar to buying wind power delivered to the New York State power grid. It promotes the development of green power and produces the a similar environmental benefit. The only difference would be that it finances green power development outside the State and the emissions reductions occur elsewhere.
NativeEnergy, endorsed by Clean Air-Cool Planet, is an example of a green power developer which sells green tags through their “WindBuilders” program.
NativeEnergy offers a variety of products including one which costs 33˘ per day and offers customers the opportunity to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 12 tons, an amount equal to the emissions associated with providing electricity and heating the average American household. If you want, you can buy more to offset the emissions from your car. Their website, http://www.nativeenergy.com explains their program. Or contact them at 1-800-924-6826.
Of course, you also could buy green power in excess of your home electrical consumption from any of the suppliers listed above to offset the emissions your family produces by home heating and automobile use.
Green power is great -- but, really, what is the most effective way I can reduce the environmental impact of associated with my home electrical use?
Conservation and efficiency! The cleanest electricity is the electricity you don't use! Whenever you save a kilowatt hour of electricity you are doing more to help the environment than if you were to acquire that energy from any source. You are also saving money.
How much can I save?
The average family probably could reduce its electrical consumption by 50% by adopting energy conserving behavior and switching to energy efficient lighting and appliances.
What are the most effective ways to save electricity at home?
Whole House – Conduct a whole house energy audit. Contact the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority at http://www.getenergysmart.org to learn about Home Performance with Energy Star contractor audits. Or call (518) 862-1090 and ask for the Energy Smart Program.
Appliances -- Turn off TVs, stereos, and other appliances when not in use. Always buy Energy Star compliant appliances or the most efficient products on the market. Operate only one refrigerator or freezer. Minimize operation of basement dehumidifier.
Computers – Turn off computers, monitors, and printers when not in use. Always buy Energy Star compliant computer equipment and make sure “power management features” are enabled so that your computer, monitor and printer go into an energy saving “sleep mode” when not actively in use.
Lighting -- Turn off all lights when not in use. Change all frequently used incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs or low wattage fluorescent tubes; compact fluorescent bulbs come in all sizes and shapes and will fit most fixtures and lamps. Don’t use halogen torchiere lamps (these are very high wattage, energy wasteful, and pose a fire hazard due to high bulb temperatures). Change outdoor lighting to compact fluorescents or install motion detectors.
Air conditioning – In our region there are many alternatives to residential air conditioning which are effective in keeping us cool and are better for the environment. Block summer sun with blinds, shades, awnings, and trees. Open windows for cross-ventilation. Use ceiling, floor and table fans. If you must use an air conditioner, only run on the hottest days, and raise the temperature setting. If you use fans when running an air conditioner, you can be comfortable at a higher thermostat setting and save energy. Turn off AC at night and open windows. When buying an air conditioner, buy only the most energy efficient Energy Star model.
Space and water heating -- Don't heat your house or hot water with electricity. Heating with electricity is at least two or three times as expensive as natural gas heating and creates more pollution too (at the power plant).
Kitchens -- Replace electric stoves and ovens with natural gas models when remodeling. Reheating and cooking with an electric microwave is energy efficient.
Misc. -- Avoid water beds or at least cover and insulate them well so electric heating is minimal.
For more information, contact the UB Green Office, University at Buffalo, 220 Winspear Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. 14215, 829-3535, ubgreen@facilities.buffalo.edu.
Sponsored by: WNY Green Power Is Clean Power
Amherst Conservation Advisory Council * Buffalo Audubon Society * Buffalo Environmental Management Commission * Buffalo Wind Action Group * Clean Communities of WNY * Environmental Advocates of New York * Erie County Environmental Management Council * Green Gold Development Corporation * Great Lakes United * Learning Sustainability * League of Women Voters * Natural Resources Defense Council * Northeast Sustainable Energy Association * NYPIRG * Sierra Club Niagara Group * UB Environment & Society Institute * UB Green Office * WNY Earth Day Steering Committee * WNY Energy Smart Communities * WNY Sustainable Energy Association
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