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Summer
2005 Newsletter |
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In this issue:
First generation
of hydro electric for North Carolina's power supply
Program update at
a glance
Duke Energy
and Progress Energy provide funding for program
State Energy Office
grant helps to promote NC GreenPower
GlaxoSmithKline
increases support of NC Greenpower
Come see us at
the S.E.E. Expo
Eisai continues
NC GreenPower sponsorship
TS Designs becomes
a friend of NC GreenPower
Chapel Hill/Carrboro
schools receive the gift of renewable energy
Five ways you
can help NC GreenPower grow
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Alamance County legislators announce
NC GreenPower’s first generation of hydro electric for North
Carolina’s power supply |
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N.C. Legislators Rep.
Cary Allred and Senator
Hugh Webster (both representing Alamance County) announced
at a press conference on May 9th the first generation of electricity
from a water source for the NC GreenPower program, a statewide
non-profit that encourages the development of renewable energy
for the state’s power supply. This type of power —
hydroelectric
— replenishes itself naturally and is a cleaner source of
energy than traditional fossil fuels.
Hydro power uses falling water (gravity) to produce electricity.
This falling water is directed through a turbine, causing it to
spin.
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Ribbon cutting at the Saxapahaw hydroelectric facility
Pictured left to right: Bill Lee, Saxapahaw Dam and Plant; Rep.
Cary Allred (R-Alamance Co.); Sen. Hugh Webster (R-Alamance Co.);
John Langston, Duke Energy; Bob Goodson, NC GreenPower; Bob Koger,
NC GreenPower; and Larry Shirley, State Energy Office – N.C.
Department of Administration.
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The spinning turbine is coupled to a generator, which produces
the electricity. Small-scale hydro systems offer several advantages.
The generation process produces no pollution. It doesn’t
require a large dam or reservoir; some systems can be powered
by only a small stream. So, a little bit of water goes a long
way.
Electricity will be generated at the Saxapahaw
Dam and Plant in Alamance County, and other small hydroelectric
facilities across the state, and will be used to provide renewable
energy for NC GreenPower’s large volume product.
The large volume product is offered to customers, usually businesses,
purchasing a minimum of 100 blocks of renewable energy per month.
One block is equal to 100 kWh of electricity, or approximately
the amount of energy that a refrigerator consumes in one month.
Other resources currently included in the large volume product
are solar, landfill methane, animal waste methane, and clean wood
waste. Wind power is also a planned resource for the product.
The standard $4 per month product, which is the method by which
individuals and small businesses participate, only includes solar,
landfill methane, and animal waste methane. Wind power will also
be included as it is available and added to the grid.
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ABOUT THE SAXAPAHAW DAM AND PLANT
The Saxapahaw Dam and Plant, owned and operated by Haw River Hydro
Co., has produced clean renewable energy on a continuous basis
for 23 years, providing enough electricity for 700 houses annually.
The dam is interconnected with Duke Energy to provide hydropower
for the state’s power supply.
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One of two generators located at the Saxapahaw
dam site |
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Other environmental
benefits provided by this hydroelectric facility on an annual
basis are:
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Saving 6,884,000 lbs. (3442.5 tons) of coal
from being burned
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Saving 55,000 lbs. (27.5 tons) of sulfur dioxide
from being released
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Saving 22,000 lbs. (11.5 tons) of nitrogen oxides
from being released
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Saving 17,700,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide from
being released into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to planting
1.4 million trees or 2.1 million miles not driven
For more information on NC GreenPower resource providers, visit
our Producers
page under the About NC GreenPower section of our Website. |
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update at a glance
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As of June 2005
Program participation
Current NC GreenPower subscribers – 7,005
Total monthly NC GreenPower blocks subscribed – 16,857
Annual equivalent blocks subscribed – 202,764
Annual equivalent energy – 20,276,400 kWh
Environmental offsets
The amount of coal consumed annually to produce this equivalent
amount of energy - 16,385,004 lbs.
The generation of this amount of renewable energy will annually
offset:
42,093,075 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2)
131,484 pounds of sulfur dioxide (SO2)
52,593 pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Energy equivalents
The annual reduction of CO2 emissions is environmentally
equivalent to:
3,237,928 trees planted OR
51,242,026 miles not driven OR 1,246,889 days not driven
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