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Media AdvisoryJune 9, 2004 Nation's landmark renewable energy program announces its first
generation of green power for North Carolina |
| What | Press Conference |
| Why | Announcement of North Carolina’s first renewable energy producers in the NC GreenPower program who are working with the state’s electric utilities to provide cleaner, greener energy for North Carolina. |
| When | 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 16, 2004 |
| Where |
N.C. General Assembly 16 West Jones
Street | Raleigh, NC |
| Speakers |
Senator Charles W. Albertson Representing Duplin, Harnett and Sampson counties Senator R.B. Sloan Jr Representing Alexander and Iredell counties) Representative Pryor A. Gibson III Representing Anson, Montgomery and Union counties) Bob Goodson, Chairman NC GreenPower Board of Directors |
About NC Greenpower
NC GreenPower is the nation’s first statewide, multi-utility initiative to encourage the development of renewable energy sources. The program taps into technology that transforms renewable energy sources such as wind, sunshine and landfill methane gas into safe and environmentally sustainable power, giving North Carolinians cleaner options for their energy sources. The N.C. Utilities Commission approved the NC GreenPower program plan in January 2003. NC GreenPower is an independent organization administered by Advanced Energy, a Raleigh-based nonprofit corporation that helps utility, industrial and residential customers improve the return on their energy investment.
Residential and business customers may voluntarily contribute funds that NC GreenPower will use to purchase power from renewable energy sources in the state. All renewable energy will be generated in North Carolina for the state’s electric supply. Customers may sign up for the program by contacting their electric utilities, including Dominion North Carolina Power, Duke Energy, N.C. Electric Membership Cooperatives, N.C. Public Power and Progress Energy. All contributions are tax-deductible and will be sent in their entirety to NC GreenPower.
To date, the program has received support from 5,220 customers statewide, with monthly contributions averaging 14,500 blocks of energy per month [one block is equal to 100 kilowatt hours (kWh); the average house uses 1,000 kWh of energy each month. To participate in the program, energy consumers can contribute a minimum of $4 per month in addition to their electric bill total.]. This is like planting more than two million trees or 33 square miles of forest at 100 trees per acre. This also is the environmental equivalent of 2,900 people not driving their cars for one year.
Governments and businesses supporting the program through voluntary
contributions include Eisai, Dominion North Carolina Power, Duke Energy, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Lowe’s Home Improvement, N.C.
Department of Administration’s State Energy Office, N.C. Electric
Membership Cooperatives, N.C. Pork Council, N.C. Public Power (ElectriCities),
Progress Energy, Research Triangle Institute, Smithfield Foods and
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Program affiliates are Environmental
Defense, N.C. Council of Churches - Interfaith Eco-Justice Network,
N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, N.C. Solar
Center and N.C. Sustainable Energy Association.
For additional information
about NC GreenPower, visit www.ncgreenpower.org or contact Sharon
Gladwell,
manager of marketing and communications, at 919.857.9058.
For additional information about NC GreenPower
Visit www.ncgreenpower.org
or contact Sharon Gladwell
manager of marketing and communications, at 919.857.9058.
NOTE: Archived audio and photos will be available at www.ncgreenpower.org later on press conference day.