Buy Green Power
Green power is electricity generated from renewable,
high-efficiency, or low-pollution energy sources, such as wind or
solar energy. It's clean, it's simple to sign up, and it's now available
to all Minnesotans!
Your purchase of green power will replace electricity that would
otherwise come primarily from burning coal—one of the dirtiest
fuels for producing electricity. Here in Minnesota, 75% of the energy
we consume comes from coal—less than 1% currently comes from
wind.
Since most of Minnesota's electrical utility green power programs
use wind power, much of which is generated right here in our state,
you can change that balance for the better! |
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Wind turbines operate in
harmony with
farming and ranching.
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Buying green power helps our health, environment, and economy
 Minnesota,
particularly the southwestern part of the state, has some of the best
potential for generating wind energy in the nation.
More than 80% of Minnesotans think electric companies should emphasize
renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, over fossil fuels
when generating additional electricity. And with good reason! "Green
power" has a great many benefits:
- Helps prevent acid rain by reducing sulfur dioxide
and nitrous oxide emissions.
- Reduces mercury emissions from power plants, which
significantly contribute to fish consumption warnings.
- Helps keep our air clean by reducing small particulates
and several other unhealthy emissions.
- Significantly reduces carbon dioxide, the primary
contributor to global warming.
- Improves Minnesota's economy, especially in rural
parts of the state where farmers can lease their land for wind development.
- Creates additional demand for clean, renewable energy
above and beyond any legislative requirements that utilities must meet.
Sign up today!
 Minnesota utility
customers can buy small amounts of green power for as little as $1.50
a month more, or buy as much as 100% of their electricity usage. For the
average home, a month of 100% green power would cost about $6 to $14 more
than traditional energy sources.
Signing up for your utility's green power program is simple! Contact
your electricity provider (information should be on your electric bill)
and ask to sign up for their green power program. The amount you choose
to purchase will be added to your future bills.
 Consult
the Green Power Network's online list of Minnesota
Green Power Programs.
Tell your friends and neighbors! We need your help to spread the
word about the benefits of green power. Let your friends and neighbors
know how simple it is to help clean our air!
MPCA recognized as a Green Power Partner
 The MPCA's decision to actively purchase green power has helped it earn recognition from U.S. EPA as a Green Power Partner. The commitment to purchase green power was encouraged by MPCA's Jeff Ledermann, who initiated a challenge targeting staff members, encouraging them to sign up for green power at home. Based on the success and interest in that campaign, the agency's management made the commitment to match the level of staff sign-ups by purchasing wind energy from our electricity provider at the 520 Lafayette Road building.
By committing to have 14 percent of its electrical energy coming from green power, the MPCA is serving as an environmental model to other agencies and businesses. The MPCA's 14 percent use of renewable energy amounts to keeping 300 tons of CO2 out of our atmosphere per year. The additional annual cost is $9,000.
Frequently asked questions
Why is this happening in Minnesota? State
law (§ 216B.169) requires that all public electrical utilities
offer their customers the opportunity to purchase green power. This
requirement is above and beyond other laws requiring utilities to
produce green power (renewable energy).
While individual green power customers do have
to pay more for cleaner energy, those efforts will directly result
in new green power that wouldn't otherwise be built. Even a small
$2/month commitment can send a big message to the electrical utilities
and other decision-makers that customers really want green power
now.
What are the benefits again? Buying one block of green power
(100 kilowatt-hours, typically about $2/month) for a year:
- replaces enough coal-fired power to prevent 2,207 pounds of
carbon dioxide (CO2), 6.64 pounds of sulfur dioxide (SO2), 4.78
pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx), and 0.024 grams of mercury.
- has the same environmental benefit of not driving a car 2,400
miles or planting a half-acre of trees
How does green power get to me? Green power does not go
directly to your house, because utilities cannot direct specific
electricity to a specific place. However, when you purchase green
power, the total amount of green electricity that travels over the
entire system is increased.
How do I know that green power is being generated? The Minnesota
Department of Commerce certifies that green power programs meet
the requirements of state law and verifies the utility's reporting
of green power sales.
Can I install my own wind turbine? Small wind systems generate enough power for a single home, farm or a small business. Here are some resources to get you started.
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One large wind turbine
can produce enough
electricity to power
600 homes.
A tower like this one stretches 385 feet from the ground to the tip of the blades—as tall
as a 30-story building!.
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Energy tips: Save energy, save money
Try some of these tips to conserve energy at home, and you may not even
notice the cost of buying green power:
- Turn off lights, computers, and appliances when not in use.
- Turn your thermostat down in the winter and set your air conditioner
higher in the summer.
- Buy energy-efficient bulbs and appliances. Look for the ENERGY STAR logo.
- Get a home energy audit. Seal cracks and insulate.
Links to Other Resources
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Electricity and the Environment illustrates the trends of key emissions from coal-fired electric power plants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), mercury, and particulate matter.
Fresh Energy (formerly ME3: Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy) | www.fresh-energy.org/resources/green_power.htm
The State
Energy Office (Minnesota Department of Commerce) is an active
proponent of wind energy development, and offers a number of resources,
including a monitoring wind sites and creating wind
maps that illustrate how the southwest corner of the state is
the most desireable for generating wind power.
Windustry is a non-profit organization working to create
an understanding of wind energy opportunities: http://windustry.org
Minnesota Renewable Energy Gateway | www.renewable.state.mn.us
In his 2006 State of the State speech, Governor Tim Pawlenty set Minnesota on a course to have 25% of our energy come from renewable sources by the year 2025. This 25/25 initiative is the most agressive in the nation and will require a sustained effort from our energy industry, state government and the citizens of Minnesota. This website serves as a gateway to all of the valuable information on a renewable energy spread throughout state government.
U.S. EPA's Green Power Partnership site includes the
national Green
Power Locator to help consumers find options throughout the country:
www.epa.gov/greenpower/
American Wind Energy Association is a trade association
that promotes wind energy as a clean source of electricity for consumers
around the world. Their website includes an extensive database of wind
energy projects in Minnesota and nationally. | www.awea.org
National Renewable Energy Lab | www.nrel.gov
Wind Powering America is a commitment to dramatically increase the use of wind energy in the United States. This U.S. Dept. of Energy initiative will establish new sources of income for American farmers, Native Americans, and other rural landowners and meet the growing demand for clean sources of electricity. | www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/
 Host
a Buy Green Power Challenge
Materials are available for individuals, businesses, and groups of all
kinds to conduct their own "Buy Green Power" campaigns or challenges.
Statewide participation in green power programs by the public is less than 1%. We encourage anyone interested in promoting green power to consider coordinating
a community-based campaign.
Resources
Assistance
For Minnesota-based campaigns if you need large numbers of materials,
have questions, or would like to report your campaign results, please
contact Jeff Ledermann
at 651-757-2520 or 800-657-3864 toll free.
Success story: State agencies compete and everybody wins!
 The state Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, Board of Water and Soil Resources, and Department of Commerce recently squared off with a staff challenge to see which agency group could get the most staff to sign up for green power through their local electricity company. Many accepted the challenge to "walk the talk" as over 335 staff pledged to buy green power—including 159 new customers that signed up during the campaign—and buy a total of 571,380 kilowatt hours of wind power over the next year. The environmental benefits from the challenge were huge; the actions of the 159 new customers will annually prevent the following emissions:
- 1,050,768 lbs. of carbon dioxide (contributes to global warming)
- 3,161 lbs. of sulfur dioxide (can form acid rain)
- 2,275 lbs. of nitrogen oxides (can combine with VOCs to form ozone pollution)
- 11.43 grams of mercury (can end up in fish and cause fish consumption warnings)
PCA staff accounted for almost 2/3 of the total participation in the challenge, and the St. Paul Environmental Assistance staff led the way with 88% participation. Overall, 18% of the environmental agency staff took the challenge and are now green power customers.
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Small Wind Electric Systems: A Minnesota Consumer's Guide
