Comments on: Dominion customers can buy clean-ish power. http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:02:52 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bubby http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19582 Bubby Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:39:37 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19582 Rockingham County is already collecting and flaring their LFG. The new County hospital - RMH has a green initiative and is working with the County to collect, dry and compress the gas for sale to the Hospital. The <a href="http://www.newsvirginian.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WNV%2FMGArticle%2FWNV_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173353636017&path=!news!localnews" rel="nofollow">landfill</a> is expected to generate 800 c.f. of methane / minute - enough to pay for the cost of drying/compression/transmission. Rockingham County is already collecting and flaring their LFG. The new County hospital – RMH has a green initiative and is working with the County to collect, dry and compress the gas for sale to the Hospital. The landfill is expected to generate 800 c.f. of methane / minute – enough to pay for the cost of drying/compression/transmission.

]]> By: Doug http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19565 Doug Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:07:25 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19565 The only service provider I see for Virginia is Pepco. Am I missing something? They offer Wind and Landfill Gas options with a 14 month contract. Not sure about contract break fees. I agree with the earlier post about venting the Methane from landfills. Burning is a better option and we might as well capture the energy created by burning it and use it to reduce consumption of fossil fuels. The only service provider I see for Virginia is Pepco. Am I missing something? They offer Wind and Landfill Gas options with a 14 month contract. Not sure about contract break fees. I agree with the earlier post about venting the Methane from landfills. Burning is a better option and we might as well capture the energy created by burning it and use it to reduce consumption of fossil fuels.

]]> By: Bubby http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19553 Bubby Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:19:18 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19553 Malena: Virginia utilities are currently providing contact info for their customers (see Waldo's <a href="http://www.yesvachoice.com/" rel="nofollow">Energy Choice</a> link above). Look for a notification from your utility and make sure you DO NOT opt out for notification because you will receive offers from alternative energy suppliers in the coming year. Malena:
Virginia utilities are currently providing contact info for their customers (see Waldo’s Energy Choice link above). Look for a notification from your utility and make sure you DO NOT opt out for notification because you will receive offers from alternative energy suppliers in the coming year.

]]> By: Mark Brooks http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19552 Mark Brooks Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:46:26 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19552 Sacramento Municipal Utility District has long been a leader in new thinking about energy. Shortly after the nuclear power plant there was decommissioned by popular vote, they got real friendly in terms of alternative programs. Reduced interest loans on energy saving equipment, free energy friendly screening for you house (the materials), a solar mirror array, and other programs allowed them to go years in the late 90's without a rate increase. The have an opt-in feature as well, and I am unaware of the current parameters of the program. On another note, wouldn't the extra money earn interest until a solar panel and/or other system could be afforded that would lower the overall use of Dominion's power, with a similar result? I understand the problems of net metering, and maybe that would be a good law to suggest to someone this session. Sacramento Municipal Utility District has long been a leader in new thinking about energy. Shortly after the nuclear power plant there was decommissioned by popular vote, they got real friendly in terms of alternative programs. Reduced interest loans on energy saving equipment, free energy friendly screening for you house (the materials), a solar mirror array, and other programs allowed them to go years in the late 90’s without a rate increase.

The have an opt-in feature as well, and I am unaware of the current parameters of the program.

On another note, wouldn’t the extra money earn interest until a solar panel and/or other system could be afforded that would lower the overall use of Dominion’s power, with a similar result? I understand the problems of net metering, and maybe that would be a good law to suggest to someone this session.

]]> By: Malena http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19551 Malena Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:30:20 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19551 We get our power from AEP. I called them today and they said they have no "greener" options available in VA. However, it seems to me I remember something about other companies providing alternatives that we could use? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks! We get our power from AEP. I called them today and they said they have no “greener” options available in VA. However, it seems to me I remember something about other companies providing alternatives that we could use? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

]]> By: Bob Vanderhye http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19550 Bob Vanderhye Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:16:59 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19550 Margi Vanderhye, recently elected Delegate for the 34th District, will be introducing a bill that requires utilities to provide on all mailings how to purchase renewable energy, because of the very problems indicated in your blog. There are 2 green energy alternatives through Pepco Energy Services, 100% wind energy, and 100% landfill gas. Landfill gas is an excellent alternative. In a typical landfill, methane is released into the atmosphere. Not only is methane a recognized pollutant, it is 23 times worse per unit volume than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas. Therefore by burning the methane to create energy, one is GREATLY reducing not only a pollutant but global warming because the amount of carbon dioxide produced by burning the methane makes a much smaller contribution to global warming than the methane does. Signing up for renewable energy will increase the average electrical bill by about 1/7th to 1/8th. However, eventually costs will go down. In Austin Texas -- which has had a green energy option about 8 years -- this year the green energy customers actually pay about 1/4 cent per kwh less than the normal customers. Margi Vanderhye, recently elected Delegate for the 34th District, will be introducing a bill that requires utilities to provide on all mailings how to purchase renewable energy, because of the very problems indicated in your blog.

There are 2 green energy alternatives through Pepco Energy Services, 100% wind energy, and 100% landfill gas. Landfill gas is an excellent alternative. In a typical landfill, methane is released into the atmosphere. Not only is methane a recognized pollutant, it is 23 times worse per unit volume than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas. Therefore by burning the methane to create energy, one is GREATLY reducing not only a pollutant but global warming because the amount of carbon dioxide produced by burning the methane makes a much smaller contribution to global warming than the methane does.

Signing up for renewable energy will increase the average electrical bill by about 1/7th to 1/8th. However, eventually costs will go down. In Austin Texas — which has had a green energy option about 8 years — this year the green energy customers actually pay about 1/4 cent per kwh less than the normal customers.

]]> By: Colin Steele http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19547 Colin Steele Tue, 18 Dec 2007 04:18:04 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19547 FYI, Dominion does not sell clean (or even clean-ish) power to businesses. Only residential customers. :( FYI, Dominion does not sell clean (or even clean-ish) power to businesses. Only residential customers. :(

]]> By: Bubby http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19546 Bubby Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:44:25 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2007/12/buying-renewable-energy/#comment-19546 I did a calculation this summer for my Shenandoah Co-op electric utility and we are already at $0.10/kilowatt-hour - with fees, fuel surcharges and taxes. I did a calculation this summer for my Shenandoah Co-op electric utility and we are already at $0.10/kilowatt-hour – with fees, fuel surcharges and taxes.

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