U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Green Power Network

2009 Green Power Leadership Awards

About The Awards

The Green Power Leadership Awards are made annually to recognize organizations that distinguish themselves among U.S. green power market participants. The U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Resource Solutions present the awards in three categories: suppliers, purchasers, and marketers. Now in their 8th year, the Green Power Leadership Awards also raise public awareness of the availability of green power options by recognizing those programs that make exceptional contributions to the development of voluntary green power markets.

The Green Power Leadership Awards for Suppliers (Supplier Awards) are presented by the U.S. Department of Energy and recognize exceptional achievement among organizations that supply green power to end use customers.

The 2009 Green Power Leadership Awards ceremony will be held on September 14, 2009 in conjunction with Renewable Energy Markets 2009 (formerly known as the National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Green Power Leadership Awards Winners from 2009

For the official list of all the winners, please download the 2009 Awards Ceremony Booklet (PDF 1.8 MB) Download Adobe Reader.

EPA Green Power Purchaser Awards

DOE Green Power Supplier Awards

Non-Utility Green Power Supplier of the Year

3Degrees
Bonneville Environmental Foundation

Utility Green Power Program of the Year

Central Vermont Public Service Corporation – Cow Power™
Madison Gas and Electric Company
Puget Sound Energy

CRS Market Development Awards

Best Green Power Education Outreach Program

Bonneville Environmental Foundation

Best Promotional Campaign by a Green Power Purchaser

PepsiCo

Best Marketing Campaign by a Green Power Supplier

AmerenUE

Green Power Pioneer Award

Edward Holt

EPA Green Power Purchaser Awards

Green Power Partner of the Year

Deutsche Bank AG
Founded in Berlin in 1870, Deutsche Bank is a global investment bank with close to 80,000 employees working in 72 countries. In 2009, the company made an annual purchase of 160 million kilowatt-hours of wind-derived renewable energy certificates (RECs), which represents 100 percent of the electricity needs for its U.S. operations. This purchase parallels the growth in the organization’s international renewable portfolio—in 2009, Deutsche Bank bought a total of 515 million-kilowatt hours of green power worldwide.

Green power plays an important part in Deutsche Bank’s overall environmental strategy to become carbon neutral by 2012. To achieve this, the bank plans to increase energy efficiency at its buildings and technology infrastructure as well as continue to use green power for its U.S. electricity use.

Deutsche Bank proudly supports the development of green power resources. The bank communicates its green power commitment to employees, customers, and the community at large through its Banking-on-Green.com public Web site and news releases. In addition, Deutsche Bank shares its climate neutral strategy through industry peer groups and presentations.

Intel Corporation
Since January 2008, Intel has led the way as the nation’s largest voluntary corporate buyer of green power. Intel’s green power purchase ranks the largest in the Green Power Partnership, placing it on top of EPA’s National Top 50 and Fortune 500 purchaser lists. Intel’s current green power purchase of more than 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours is equal to nearly 50 percent of its annual U.S. electric use.

During 2008, Intel initiated a pilot program to install on-site solar photovoltaic systems at several Intel facilities. Intel has completed its first two U.S. solar installations in Hillsboro, Oregon, and Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Both projects are designed to highlight the benefits of solar energy use in data centers. These projects are considered first steps of a larger program to identify and implement cost-effective green power opportunities at additional Intel facilities.

To increase awareness of its commitment to green power within its organization, the company’s intranet site features a “Green Intel” forum where employees from around the world can learn about Intel’s environmental initiatives, learn how they can participate, and share ideas for work and at home. Some employees have used the “share” feature to discuss the details of solar panel installations at their homes or how to make their homes more energy efficient. To engage and educate employees and visitors, Intel placed a kiosk in the lobby of one of its facilities that hosts a solar rooftop installation. The kiosk displays real-time energy production and plays a video about Intel’s other green power commitments.

Intel hopes its large green power purchase spurs additional development and demand for renewable energy.

Intel received a Partner of the Year Award in 2008.

Kohl’s Department Stores
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Kohl’s has 1,022 stores across 49 states. Purchasing green power has become an integral part of Kohl’s strategy to reduce its environmental impact and demonstrate leadership within the retail sector. Since joining the Green Power Partnership in 2006, Kohl’s has steadily increased its green power usage. Kohl’s current commitment of more than 600 million kilowatt-hours supplies 50 percent of its electricity needs.

Kohl’s is one of the world’s largest retail solar hosts, with 69 solar power systems activated in California, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Connecticut. The company retains the renewable energy certificates (RECs) for 30 of those installations. Ten additional systems are in construction. Its activated solar arrays provide 20 to 40 percent of the power to each store they serve. Additionally, Kohl’s purchases RECs and utility green power products.

Kohl’s communicates its green power commitment to employees through an intranet Web site and video. Kohl’s spreads the word to the public about its green power use through news releases, its annual report, and a dedicated sustainability Web site, www.kohlsgreenscene.com. In 2009, the company’s vendor service team will distribute a sustainability survey to its top 300 merchandise vendors to ascertain the level of the vendors’ environmental and green power commitment. After the survey is completed, Kohl’s will provide an educational flyer on green power and how to support green power resources to all 300 vendors.

Kohl’s received a Green Power Leadership Award in 2007 and 2008.

Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc.
Headquartered in Cohoes, New York, Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. is one of the largest manufacturers of fine text and cover papers in the United States. In 2003, Mohawk became one the first large-scale paper production facilities in the United States to support its operations with wind energy, with a renewable energy certificate (REC) purchase of four million kilowatt-hours. Since then, Mohawk Fine Papers has progressively increased its level of purchase to 110 million kilowatt-hours annually increased its level of purchase to 110 million kilowatt-hours annually. This commitment represents the purchased electricity use for all of Mohawk's manufacturing, converting, and distribution operations in New York and Ohio. In 2009, Mohawk extended this commitment to cover the emissions from purchased electricity of its off-site product manufacturing by selected suppliers.

Mohawk shares its enthusiasm for renewable energy and its social, environmental, and economic benefits with its stakeholders, employees, and external community through a variety of communications efforts. This includes press releases, print advertising, a public Web site, radio and television appearances, and supplier, distributor and customer outreach.

To reduce its climate change impact, Mohawk has adopted several greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies. Beyond purchasing green power, Mohawk has committed to set an aggressive emissions reduction goal through EPA’s Climate Leaders program, uses recycled fiber in its products, and continues to maintain its sustainable forestry certifications, including the Forest Stewardship Council.

Mohawk received a Green Power Leadership Award in 2005 and a Partner of the Year Award in 2007.

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Green Power Purchasing

Beaulieu Commercial
Based in Adairsville, Georgia, Beaulieu Commercial is one of the world’s leading carpet product manufacturers. In 2008, the company made a purchase of over nine million kilowatt-hours of wind-derived renewable energy certificates (RECs), supplying 100 percent green power for its U.S. facilities. As part of Beaulieu’s overall environmental strategy, the company’s carpet tile backing is made of 85 percent postconsumer material and all of its carpet products contain some portion of postconsumer material.

To promote its green power purchase both internally and externally, Beaulieu Commercial has produced and conducted several press releases, press conferences, and print, radio, and television advertising. Beaulieu Commercial’s public Web site shares information about its green power purchase with a broad audience.

Beaulieu Commercial has found that a large benefit of its purchase has been educating its employees on the benefits and importance of green power. The company hopes that its commitment to green power will drive employees to adopt clean energy practices both at home and at work.

Bloomberg LP
Bloomberg LP is an information-service, news, and media organization that provides information for businesses and professionals around the world. In 2008, Bloomberg purchased more than 155 million kilowatt-hours of wind- and biomass-generated renewable energy certificates (RECs). This purchase covers 64 percent of the annual electricity use across Bloomberg’s U.S. operations, and places the company among the largest buyers on EPA’s National Top 50 Green Power Purchasers list.

Bloomberg communicates the importance of its green power purchase to its workforce, vendors, and stakeholders through several outreach tools, including tradeshows, employee education programs, and workshops.

Purchasing green power is part of Bloomberg’s larger initiative to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which also includes energy efficiency improvements and aggressive waste reduction strategies. The company is also planning to install on-site solar systems to power its U.S. facilities.

EarthColor, Inc.
Headquartered in New Jersey, EarthColor, Inc. is a commercial printer with facilities throughout the United States. In 2008, EarthColor purchased more than 27 million kilowatts-hours of wind-derived renewable energy certificates (RECs), which supplies 100 percent of the company’s electricity needs.

Having purchased wind energy since 2006, EarthColor actively highlights its commitment to renewable energy through interviews, press conferences, speaking events, newsletters, and at industry trade shows. EarthColor also encourages its clients and supply chain partners to embrace the benefits of renewable energy through its Client/Merchant Education Program.
Purchasing green power is one aspect of EarthColor’s growing environmental sustainability program. As an EPA Climate Leader, the company has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent per dollar sales by 2012. In addition to purchasing green power, EarthColor has taken active steps to reduce or recycle its manufacturing waste, reduce its energy use through energy efficiency improvements, and work with its suppliers to develop more environmentally-friendly products.

Foulger-Pratt Management, Inc.
Foulger-Pratt Management, Inc. is a member of the family-owned Foulger-Pratt Companies, a real estate development, construction and management firm founded in 1963 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. The company oversees the management of nearly five million square feet of office space located within the Washington Metropolitan Area. In 2009, Foulger-Pratt Management purchased more than 34 million kilowatt-hours of wind-derived renewable energy certificates (RECs), which powers 74 percent of its facilities.

To increase awareness of its purchase, Foulger-Pratt Management installed plaques that announce its green power commitment in each of the main lobbies of its buildings and informed its 225 tenant firms through an internal newsletter. The company also hung a large banner announcing the purchase on its Potomac, Maryland, building, which faces a major highway and can be seen by an estimated 70,000 cars daily.

Moving forward, Foulger-Pratt Management’s goal is to purchase 100 percent green power for its entire portfolio.

Motorola, Inc.
Motorola, Inc. increased its green power purchase by 55 percent from 2008 to 2009, for a total of more than 78 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs). The wind-generated RECs supply 20 percent of the company’s U.S. electricity needs. Motorola’s purchase ranks among the top 20 in the Green Power Partnership’s Fortune 500 Challenge.

Motorola promotes its green power purchase through press releases and its public Web site. The company has been able to include its workforce in its environmental promotion efforts—more than 10,000 employee volunteers participated in Motorola’s green-themed Global Day of Service, where employees worldwide participated in various community and environmental projects.

Motorola also offers customers a takeback program to collect electronic equipment for reuse and recycling as well as designs products that have a reduced environmental impact, such as a new mobile phone made plastic derived from recycled water cooler bottles. The company continues to lead through its green power initiatives and serves as an example to businesses interested in learning more about green power.

Motorola plans to steadily increase its U.S. green power percentage.

Neenah Paper, Inc.
Neenah Paper, Inc. is one of North America’s largest manufacturers of premium writing, text, and cover papers. Neenah Paper has been purchasing green power since 2005, and currently purchases more than 46 million kilowatt-hours annually. Neenah plans to continue its green power investment in direct relationship to its sales growth.

Neenah promotes its green power use through public speaking engagements at sustainability conferences, press releases, participation in the Green-e Advisory Council for the print, paper and packaging industry, and its “Conservation” newsletter series, an educational marketing piece about its environmental initiatives.

The purchase of green power is one part of the company’s overall commitment to sustainability. Neenah Paper also is a member of EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership and has worked to meet various environmental standards, including the Green Seal Certification and the Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody Certification.

Shaklee Corporation
Located in Pleasanton, California, Shaklee Corporation has been manufacturing natural nutrition, personal care, and home care products for over 50 years. In 2000, Shaklee Corporation became one of the first consumer products companies to purchase 100 percent green power. Since then, Shaklee has demonstrated a continued commitment to green power. In 2008, the company purchased more than six million kilowatt-hours of wind-derived renewable energy certificates (RECs) to cover its entire electricity needs.

To reach out to both internal and external audiences about its green power purchase as well as future sustainability efforts, Shaklee has used various outreach tools, including a public Web site, press releases, and media outreach. In 2009, the company hosted an Earth Day event at its world headquarters, which featured several keynote speakers who spoke about Shaklee’s environmental history and commitment to green power.

As an EPA Climate Leader, Shaklee plans to maintain its net zero U.S. greenhouse gas emissions through its purchase of green power and carbon offsets as well as other environmental initiatives. It has also begun exploring opportunities to install solar photovoltaic technologies at its facility.

Steelcase USA
Steelcase USA began in 1912 as a metal office furniture company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Today, the company’s portfolio includes three core elements of an office environment: interior architecture, furniture, and technology.

Steelcase is taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future. One example of this is Steelcase’s recent agreement to purchase all of the green power produced from the “Wege Wind Energy Farm, provided by Steelcase” in Texas for the wind farm’s first five years of operation. Through this commitment, Steelcase has purchased enough green power to equal a minimum of 20 percent of its annual electricity usage, or more than 28 million kilowatt-hours in 2009. This purchase represents roughly a ten-fold increase from 2007. With this commitment, Steelcase ranks among the largest purchasers of U.S. wind renewable energy certificates (RECs) in the office furniture industry.

Steelcase spreads the word about green power and its commitment through media outreach and interviews, sales team communications, marketing brochures, its Corporate Responsibility report, and a white paper on the Wege Wind Energy Farm. Its executive leadership team will be sharing the white paper on the Wege Wind Farm at trade shows, industry events, and speaking engagements to further educate the industry and the public on the company’s commitment, how it came to this commitment, and why green power may be a good fit for other companies.

In addition to its green power commitment, Steelcase has set its EPA Climate Leaders’ goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent per dollar sales from 2004 to 2009.

Western Pennsylvania Energy Consortium
The Western Pennsylvania Energy Consortium (WPEC) is comprised of the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Water & Sewer, The Sports and Exhibition Authority, and the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. These organizations have come together to form a single purchasing authority focused on green power initiatives and other environmental programs. In 2008, WPEC made a purchase of more than 11 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs), which were used to supply 10 percent of WPEC’s annual electricity needs. Through this conglomerate, affiliated members now have the opportunity to purchase larger amounts of green power at more affordable prices.

To increase awareness of its green power purchase, WPEC communicates with media and the public through press releases, press conferences, and seminars. WPEC attracts additional members into the consortium by holding press conferences at nearby universities and county government facilities.

During 2009, WPEC plans to increase its use of green power to 15 percent of its annual electricity needs. This green power increase will assist the consortium towards its goal of reducing its 2003 greenhouse gas emissions level by 20 percent by 2023.

The Joinery
Established in 1982, The Joinery, a hardwood furniture producer, has been on the forefront of small businesses and environmentally safe initiatives. The Joinery has a rich history of supporting green power, beginning in 1996 with its first purchase of wind-derived renewable energy certificates (RECs). In 2004, it increased its wind power purchase to cover 100 percent of its electricity needs. In 2008, The Joinery purchased 280 million kilowatt-hours of green power, again equal to its entire electricity consumption.

The Joinery educates its staff and customers of its green power commitment and its benefits through company seminars, store window stickers, brochures and flyers, speaking events, conferences, and presentations.

In addition to The Joinery’s commitment to green power, the company has put into action several other sustainability programs. To reduce waste, The Joinery’s paper products are produced from 100 percent postconsumer recycled materials and the company donates its leftover scrap wood and sawdust. The Joinery has also shortened its work week to a four-day work week to limit employee commuting and has worked to meet various environmental standards and certifications, including the Forest Stewardship Council certification.

The Joinery plans to install on-site solar photovoltaic panels on its facility by 2012.

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On-site Generation

Applied Materials
Applied Materials is one of the world's leading suppliers of equipment to manufacture semiconductors, flat panel LCDs, and solar photovoltaics. As a green power purchaser, generator, and solar manufacturing equipment provider, Applied Materials is striving to meet its company’s goal of making renewable energy a meaningful contributor to the global energy supply. Applied Materials’ annual green power usage, including on-site solar generation at its facilities in Texas and California, is more than 34 million kilowatt-hours.

Applied Materials is actively promoting the concept of turning parking lots into power plants. The company is leading this effort through its two-megawatt rooftop- and parking lot-based solar array system at its research and development campus in California. This array is among the largest on an existing corporate campus in the United States.

In addition to its on-site generation, Applied Materials has purchased more than 31 million kilowatt-hours of green power from projects located in Texas and California.
To promote green power and environmental awareness, Applied Materials has developed creative outreach and educational methods, including a “Bright Future” card game. This card game is used by teachers across the country to educate students about renewable energy, sustainability practices, and about the importance of working together to protect the planet.

Applied Materials expects to install more on-site solar generation capacity at additional facilities, as well as purchase additional green power from local utilities.

Butte College
Butte College was founded in 1967 and is situated on a 928-acre wildlife refuge nestled within the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California. The college has set a goal of reaching “carbon neutrality” by 2015. To achieve this goal, Butte College is ramping up its on-site solar electricity generation in three phases by more than a million kilowatt-hours annually.

Butte College installed its first 5,700 solar panels on a four-acre field in 2005. In 2009, Butte College completed a second phase of on-site generation by installing four additional solar arrays, bringing the total number of panels to over 10,000. These additional panels generate 1.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and have saved the college $300,000 annually in energy costs, reducing its utility bills by a third. Butte College currently produces 39 percent of its electricity needs through its solar arrays, generating more than 2.7 million kilowatt-hours per year. Proposals for a third phase are in consideration.

To promote green power and educate the student body on the benefits of on-site solar electricity, the College has placed four interactive kiosks on its campus. The kiosks include information on the three-phase solar installation plan, solar electricity generation, and real-time solar production.
The campus is also helping to train a future “green” workforce by launching a certificate program in sustainable studies and offering green building courses and workshops on the weekends. The college’s solar arrays are incorporated into courses’ curriculum to show students solar technology at work.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. / California and Texas Facilities
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is one of the world’s largest retailers and a member of the Fortune 500. The company is steadily investing in green power as part of its long-term goal of being supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. During the past two years, the company has taken steps to increase the amount of green power used at its California- and Texas-based stores, Sam’s Club locations, and distribution centers. In 2008, Wal-Mart’s on-site green power produced and wind power bought totaled more than 240 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, placing it on EPA’s National Top 50 Green Power Purchasers and Fortune 500 lists.
The company installed company-owned solar photovoltaic arrays at many facilities in California. As Wal-Mart developed and implemented its solar program, it shared lessons learned with other retailers and business entities to further promote green power within its industry sector. Wal-Mart also engages its customers by offering renewable energy systems for homes and businesses at nine of its Sam’s Club stores in southern California.

For its 350 Texas stores and facilities, Wal-Mart has established a four-year wind power purchase agreement with a wind farm located in Notress, Texas. This wind farm is expected to generate 226 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually, which will supply up to 15 percent of the electricity demand for Wal-Mart’s Texas stores and facilities.

Looking forward, the company plans to nearly double its solar energy use in California by installing solar panels at up to 20 additional Wal-Mart facilities by 2011.

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DOE Green Power Supplier Awards

Non-Utility Green Power Supplier of the Year

3Degrees
3Degrees is a recognized market leader in renewable energy and climate mitigation products and consulting services. 3Degrees originates and markets Green-e® Energy Certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Verified Emission Reductions from projects around the world. 3Degrees also works in partnership with utilities to offer residential and business customers a voluntary green power option. 3Degrees sources RECs from over 300 renewable generation facilities across the United States. It has conducted REC supply-side business in 34 U.S. states, supporting all eligible renewable energy resources. 3Degrees’ upfront agreements to purchase RECs have been instrumental in the development of new renewable energy projects, both utility-scale and distributed on-site renewable energy generation. 3Degrees has worked with over 147 solar facilities under 500 kilowatts (kW), with 77 of those being projects under 100 kW. Their renewable energy sales have seen significant growth in the last four years; 3Degrees renewable energy sales in 2009 are expected to reach 4.5 million megawatt-hours (MWhs). 3Degrees is committed to building the highest level of integrity and quality in the marketplace. The company actively promotes independent oversight of renewable energy and carbon offset markets. 3Degrees develops customer case studies and best practices to encourage the business and regulatory community to take action towards responsible green power purchasing and sales practices. 3Degrees also works closely with its customers to engage their diverse stakeholders, from supply chains to employees and customers, to support renewable energy.

3Degrees received Green Power Leadership Awards in the Large Commercial/Industrial Green Power Supplier Category in 2007 and 2008.

Bonneville Environmental Foundation
As a non-profit supplier of green power, Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is creating a more sustainable future by investing in green power development, energy education and fresh water. Founded in Portland, Oregon in 1998, BEF aspires to achieve significant environmental benefits by re-investing the profits from the sale of their green power products in renewable energy development. In 2008, BEF provided 950,000 MWhs of renewable energy certificates to its 350 commercial and 400 residential customers.

Since 2000, BEF and its partners have supported over 2.5 million MWh of renewable energy generation throughout the United States. In 2002 BEF launched its Ski Green program — one of the first retail “mini RECs” available in the marketplace. The Ski Green program offers skiers from over 25 ski resorts across the US the opportunity to pay $2 to offset the carbon emissions associated with their round trip drive to the ski resort. Largely spurred by the success of its Ski Green Program, BEF now offers a Tour Green program (a $2 “mini REC” for vacationers in state and national parks in Alaska); a Paddle Green program (a $2 “mini REC” for canoe and paddle outfitters); and a Commute Green program (a mini offset for colleges and university commuters). In addition to providing product content labels as evidence of clarity and completeness of consumer disclosure, BEF offers interactive games, animated videos and energy efficiency tips on its new, consumer friendly website.

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Utility Green Power Program of the Year

Central Vermont Public Service Corporation – Cow Power™
CVPS Cow Power™, developed by Central Vermont Public Service, is one of the nation’s first farm-to-consumer renewable energy programs that uses methane-based power generation from cow manure. CVPS Cow Power™ promotes a manure management system that provides clean, renewable energy and strives to help solve numerous environmental problems.
Since the program’s inception in 2004, a total of over 42 million kWh have been sold through customers’ enrollment. In 2008, sales increased by over 1.3 million kWh (over 10 percent) from 2007.

CVPS Cow Power™ promotes development and reliance on renewable energy in Vermont by creating a market for energy generated by burning methane from cow manure. The program has received with strong public interest and enrollment, with nearly 4,000 of the company’s 159,000 customers enrolled. The farms participating in Cow Power receive 95 percent of the market price for the energy generated, plus a 4-cent/kWh premium from the customer.

When customer demand for Cow Power exceeds supply, the company purchases renewable energy credits with the excess Cow Power payments or deposits revenues into the CVPS Renewable Development Fund. The CVPS Renewable Development Fund provides incentives to farmers to stimulate further renewable generation. The first Cow Power farm project went on line in January 2005. Six farms are now producing Cow Power, and three more are expected to be on line by the end of 2009. CVPS Cow Power has received the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Commissioner’s Choice Seal of Quality. In 2006, the program, in partnership with the first Cow Power producer, the Audet family’s Blue Spruce Farm, received the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Madison Gas and Electric Company
Madison Gas and Electric Company (MGE) is a regulated, investor-owned utility and the main subsidiary of MGE Energy, Inc. MGE serves 141,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE’s green power initiative, composed of an expanded “Green Power Tomorrow” program along with the Clean Power Partners program, was established to create alternative and affordable renewable energy sources,

In 2008, MGE expanded its Wind Power program to 152 million kWh and renamed the expanded program “Green Power Tomorrow.” By adding new wind resources in Wisconsin and local, customer-owned solar systems to the program supply, MGE was able to offer more customers the option to support renewable energy development, while also reducing the price premium from 2.68 cents/kWh to 1 cent/kWh above standard electricity rates. As a result of the lower premium individual, the number of participants purchasing 100 percent green power has grown from 20 percent in 2007 to 70 percent in 2009. The addition of wind resources has also allowed MGE to create a buyback rate program, Clean Power Partners, which has helped stimulate a local solar market. Customers who install solar electric systems on their homes or businesses can opt to sell this energy back to MGE for $0.25/kWh.

At the end of 2008, after an extensive marketing campaign to promote the increase of its available green power, residential participation in MGE’s Green Energy Tomorrow program grew 189 percent, and business participation grew 94 percent from 2007 levels. In 2009, sales continue to grow — MGE is currently on pace to exceed 150 million kWh in sales for 2009.

Puget Sound Energy
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has offered its Green Power Program to the Pacific Northwest since 2002, providing both commercial and residential customers the option to participate. In 2008, the program serviced more than 20,000 participants, and produced more than 290 million kWh in sales.

The 2008-2009 standard rate resource mix includes 71 percent wind, 28 percent biomass, and 1 percent solar. All facilities supported by the program are located in the Pacific Northwest, with locations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The program’s biomass resource includes methane digesters, bioenergy facilities, and landfill gas. PSE’s program offers customers the option to match 100 percent of their electricity usage with green power at an incremental cost of 1.25 cents/kWh, or buy blocks.

Commercial customers can also match up to 100 percent of their electricity usage with green power at an incremental cost of 1.25 cents/kWh. From year-end 2006 through year-end 2008, residential customer participation grew by more than 20 percent to 20,619 participants. In the same period, residential MWh sales grew by nearly 130 percent from over 59,000 MWh in 2006 to more than 135,000 MWh in 2008. The higher rate of MWh sales growth relative to participation is due to the introduction of the 100 percent usage option, which has attracted approximately half of the new residential customers.

Since its inception, PSE’s Green Power Program has consistently been on NREL’s list of Top Ten Utility Green Power Programs.

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CRS Market Development Awards

Best Green Power Education Outreach Program

Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Solar 4R Schools takes the community on an educational, yet entertaining, adventure that provides the public an opportunity to see and learn about solar electricity. Through interaction and collaboration, the Solar 4R Schools program familiarizes students, teachers, school administrators, facilities personnel, parents and other community members with the inner workings of this renewable technology. Since its introduction in 2002, Solar4Schools has grown to become the most comprehensive solar schools program in the nation.

BEF provides solar-electric demonstrations at no cost to participating schools along with online data access so students can monitor their solar project’s performance and compare it to others nationwide. Each school designates a teacher champion who serves as the solar ambassador to the school community. BEF's education manager provides each teacher champion and school with grade-level-appropriate activities, correlated to state or national standards, and a comprehensive box of hands-on teaching materials to bring the activities to life, including kits to build small solar cars and wind turbines, solar ovens and energy monitoring devices.

Last year, Solar 4R Schools launched new curriculum materials drawing from various sources including BEF, Kidwind, NEED, NREL and more. This year, the team is launching a new website. Numbers show the program's depth and breadth – more than 40,000 students; hundreds of teachers; more than 130 solar installations in 15 states and Washington, D.C.; more than 1 million kWh generated by solar demonstrations and almost 1.5 million lbs of CO2 avoided.

Best Promotional Campaign by a Green Power Purchaser

PepsiCo
Innovation in the food and beverage industry all too often takes the form of a new package for an established product. At PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, one real innovation has been to make renewable energy a prime ingredient of their SunChips product line.

A key component of the SunChips marketing strategy has been to inspire consumers to make small steps to help the planet. In terms of promoting use of renewable energy in the making of SunChips, the company began with a Green-e® Energy certified renewable energy certificate (REC) purchase and evolved to proceeded onsite solar installation, green packaging and an extensive green challenge to the public.

PepsiCo contracts with Sterling Planet to purchase renewable energy certificates to match 100 percent of electricity use by the company at its facilities nationwide, including all of the Frito-Lay’s manufacturing facilities making SunChips. This commitment was signified by the use of the Green-e logo prominently displayed on the front of SunChips packages.

In 2008 the company installed a solar concentrating system with 192 solar collectors at the SunChips facility in Modesto, CA, producing steam and enough electricity to produce all the SunChips made in Modesto. SunChips is also building renewables into its packaging: today, 33% (one of three layers) of every 10 1/2 oz. SunChips bag is made with renewable plant-based materials.

Finally, SunChips and National Geographic have joined forces to create the Green Effect, an initiative to inspire individuals to spark a green movement in their communities.

Best Marketing Campaign by a Green Power Supplier

AmerenUE
The “Pure Power Is P.U.R.E.* Genius” campaign attracts consumers to green pricing program through identification with the people used in the campaign. PURE Power is a program of Missouri-based utility AmerenUE and is administered by 3Degrees. The novelty and originality of the campaign is that each person featured is a “real person” – and each had very simple but very meaningful reasons for signing up. The campaign’s use of familiar faces, local celebrities, family friends and their unique stories gave credibility to a product consumers can identify with.

The campaign successfully personalizes and localizes what it means to support renewable energy in a state where most people have never even seen a wind farm. By putting the familiar face of a local celebrity and friendly family, the P.U.R.E.* Genius campaign helps people relate to renewable energy as something that is relevant to their lives and their community.

The P.U.R.E* Genius messaging is integrated into many other utility marketing pieces, event materials and speaking engagements. The ads were seen throughout the City of St. Louis, on buses, event signage and regularly in the Healthy Planet Magazine, The Vital Voice Newspaper, the St. Louis Business journal and online at the program’s customer website.

People Using Renewable Energy (P.U.R.E.) is a movement that thousands support and many have adopted, and the ads have helped simplify the quest for "going green" in the St. Louis community. In fact, appearing as a “Genius” in a Pure Power ad has become quite a local honor within the St. Louis sustainable community!’

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Green Power Pioneer Award

Edward Holt
Whenever those of us in the renewable energy industry need a sane and steady voice to vet our ideas or advance our debating points, the first name that comes up is Ed Holt.
For more than 30 years, Ed has proven to be a highly trusted source of intelligence and clear thinking about the big issues faced by the industry. His career spans the earliest programs to encourage energy efficiency in the Pacific Northwest, where he was a planner for Seattle City Light, to the most recent developments in promoting and preserving green power markets.

One of his early achievements was the development of the Pacific Northwest’s Lighting Design Lab. In 1994, Ed moved across the country to join the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) in Maine, where he published the Green Power Newsletter, providing the industry with important information and insights on utility green pricing programs, competitive retail marketing of green power, consumer willingness to pay for green power, and the development of renewable energy certificates (RECs) as a green power marketing and trading mechanism.

In 1997, Ed authored the Green Pricing Resource Guide – the nation’s first definitive guide to green power marketing for electric utilities and the new breed of retail electricity marketers.

In the past decade, Ed has co-authored studies on REC policy nuances and market potential for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His work on preserving the value of voluntary markets within the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s cap and trade program serve as a model for other regional and national efforts to ensure that renewable energy investments continue to play a role in greenhouse gas reductions policies.

More recently, his work has targeted the interaction between carbon emissions markets and renewable energy, including renewable energy and emissions tracking and trading.

Ed’s depth of knowledge, dedication to the industry, and affable personality have been invaluable to the development and continued growth of the green power industry. Ed Holt is truly a Green Power Pioneer.

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