NREL Highlights 2010 Utility Green Power Leaders
New, innovative community programs support local power generation
May 22, 2011 - National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today released its annual assessment of leading utility green power programs. Under these voluntary programs, consumers can choose to help support additional electricity production from renewable resources such as wind and solar.
Green power sales from utility programs exceeded 6 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2010. Wind energy now represents more than three-fourths of electricity generated for green energy programs nationwide.
Using information provided by utilities, NREL has developed "Top 10" rankings of utility green power programs for 2010 in the following categories: total sales of renewable energy to program participants, total number of customer participants, the percentage of customer participation, green power sales as a percentage of total utility retail electricity sales, and the lowest price premium charged for a green power program using new renewable resources. According to NREL, more than 850 utilities across the United States offer green power programs.
Ranked by renewable energy sales (kWh/year), Austin Energy in Austin, Texas sold the largest amount of renewable energy in the nation through its voluntary green power program. Rounding out the top five are Portland General Electric (Oregon), PacifiCorp (Oregon and five other states), the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (California), and Xcel Energy (Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin and New Mexico).
Ranked by the percentage of customer participation, the top utilities are City of Palo Alto Utilities (California), with more than 20 percent of its customers participating in its green power program, followed by Portland General Electric, Farmers Electric Cooperative of Kalona (Iowa), Madison Gas and Electric Company (Wisconsin), and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. (See attached tables for additional rankings).
"Participating in utility green power programs is one way that consumers can support renewable energy development. These utilities are the national leaders," said NREL senior analyst Lori Bird.
Utility green pricing programs are one segment of a larger green power marketing industry that counts approximately 1.5 million customers, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and colleges and universities among its customers, and helps support more than 9,000 megawatts of renewable electricity generation capacity.
NREL has also found that more utilities are developing community solar programs, an innovative program design that enables consumers to support local projects. Community solar programs allow customers to purchase a share of a solar system developed in their community and receive the benefits of the energy that is produced by their share. Typically, consumers will pay an upfront cost per watt of solar, and then receive a credit on their bill for the kilowatt-hours that their purchase generated.
"Utilities and third-parties are increasingly developing community solar programs as one way to support local renewable energy development," said NREL analyst Jenny Sumner. "Customers can invest in solar through community solar programs even if they are renters or own homes with shaded roofs."
More information on community solar efforts can be found at http://greenpower.energy.gov.
The Green Power assessment was performed by NREL's Strategic Energy Analysis Center (SEAC), which integrates technical and economic analyses and leads NREL's efforts in applying clean energy technologies to both national and international markets.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Green Pricing Program Renewable Energy Sales
(as of December 2010) |
Rank |
Utility |
Resources Used |
Sales (kWh/year) |
Sales (aMW)a |
1 |
Austin Energyb |
Wind, landfill gas |
754,203,479 |
86.1 |
2 |
Portland General Electricc |
Wind, biomass, geothermal |
735,745,202 |
84.0 |
3 |
PacifiCorpbde |
Wind, biomass, landfill gas, solar |
587,373,391 |
67.1 |
4 |
Sacramento Municipal Utility Districtc |
Wind, hydro, biomass, solar |
395,537,564 |
45.2 |
5 |
Xcel Energycf |
Wind, solar |
388,837,429 |
44.4 |
6 |
Puget Sound Energycg |
Wind, landfill gas, biomass, small hydro, solar |
314,892,507 |
35.9 |
7 |
Connecticut Light and Power/ United Illuminating |
Wind, hydro |
229,408,999 |
26.2 |
8 |
CPS Energyh |
Wind |
186,880,675 |
21.3 |
9 |
National Gridi |
Biomass, wind, small hydro, solar |
167,149,902 |
19.1 |
10 |
We Energiesc |
Wind, landfill gas, solar |
164,546,605 |
18.8 |
a An "average megawatt" (aMW) is a measure of continuous capacity equivalent (i.e. operating at a 100% capacity factor).
b Product is Green-e Energy (www.green-e.org) certified.
c Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
d Some Oregon products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
e Includes Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power.
f Includes Northern States Power, Public Service Company of Colorado and Southwestern Public Service.
g Residential product marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
h Data period: February 2010 thru January 2011.
i Includes Niagara Mohawk, Massachusetts Electric, Narragansett Electric, and Nantucket Electric.
Total Number of Customer Participants
(as of December 2010) |
Rank |
Utility |
Program(s) |
Participants |
1 |
Portland General Electrica |
Clean Wind, Green Source, Renewable Future |
77,907 |
2 |
PacifiCorpbc |
Blue Sky Blockd, Blue Sky Usaged, Blue Sky Habitatd |
76,322 |
3 |
Xcel Energye |
WindSourced, Renewable Energy Trust |
66,401 |
4 |
Sacramento Municipal Utility District |
Greenergyd |
51,498 |
5 |
PECOf |
PECO WIND |
32,629 |
6 |
Puget Sound Energyg |
Green Power Programd |
29,398 |
7 |
Connecticut Light and Power/ United Illuminating |
CTCleanEnergyOptions |
24,283 |
8 |
Iberdrola USA: NYSEG and RG&Ef |
Catch the Wind |
23,011 |
9 |
We Energies |
Energy for Tomorrowd |
22,306 |
10 |
National Gridh |
GreenUp |
21,475 |
a Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
b Includes Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power.
c Some Oregon products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
d Product is Green-e Energy certified.
e Includes Northern States Power, Public Service Company of Colorado and Southwestern Public Service.
f Marketed in partnership with Community Energy Inc.
g Residential product marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
h Includes Niagara Mohawk, Massachusetts Electric, Narragansett Electric, and Nantucket Electric.
Green Power Sales as a Percentage of Total Retail Electricity Sales (in kWh)
(as of December 2010) |
Rank |
Utility |
Program(s) |
% of Load |
1 |
Waterloo Utilitiesa |
Renewable Energy Programb |
22.6% |
2 |
Edmond Electricc |
Pure and Simple |
9.9% |
3 |
Portland General Electricd |
Clean Wind, Green Source, Renewable Future |
8.1% |
4 |
City of Palo Alto Utilitiese |
Palo Alto Greenb |
7.4% |
5 |
River Falls Municipal Utilities |
Renewable Energy Programa |
7.2% |
6 |
Austin Energy |
Green Choiceb |
6.3% |
7 |
Madison Gas and Electric |
Green Power Tomorrow |
4.5% |
8 |
Pacific Power — Oregon Onlyf |
Blue Sky Blockb, Blue Sky Usageb, Blue Sky Habitatb |
4.3% |
9 |
Sacramento Municipal Utility District |
Greenergyb |
3.9% |
10 |
Park Electric Cooperativeg |
Green Power Program |
3.4% |
a Power supplied by WPPI Energy.
b Product is Green-e Energy certified.
c Power supplied by Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority.
d Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
e Marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
f Some Oregon products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
g Power supplied by Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
Price Premium Charged for New, Residential Customer-Driven Renewable Power
(as of December 2010) |
Rank |
Utility |
Resources Used |
Premium (¢/kWh) |
1 |
Indianapolis Power & Light Companya |
Wind |
0.14 |
2 |
Edmond Electricbc |
Wind |
0.27 |
3 |
Avista Utilities |
Wind, landfill gas, hydro |
0.33 |
4 |
City of Onawa |
Wind |
0.40 |
5 |
Flathead Electric Cooperatived |
Wind |
0.50 |
5 |
Moorhead Public Service |
Wind |
0.50 |
5 |
Sacramento Municipal Utility Districta |
Wind, hydro, biomass, solar |
0.50 |
8 |
OG&E Electric Servicese |
Wind |
0.72 |
9 |
Emerald People's Utility District |
Landfill gas, wind, biomass |
0.80 |
10 |
Xcel Energy (Minnesota only)ac |
Wind |
0.84 |
a Product is Green-e Energy certified.
b Power supplied by Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority.
c Premium is variable; customers in these programs are exempt or otherwise protected from changes in utility fuel charges.
d Power is supplied by Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
e 0.72¢/kWh represents the average price premium paid. The premium varies from .7 ¢/kWh to .9 ¢/kWh, based on purchase quantities.
Customer Participation Rate
(as of December 2010) |
Rank |
Utility |
Program(s) |
Customer Participation Rate |
Program Start Year |
1 |
City of Palo Alto Utilitiesa |
Palo Alto Greenb |
21.5% |
2003 |
2 |
Portland General Electricc |
Clean Wind, Green Source, Renewable Future |
12.6% |
2002 |
3 |
Farmers Electric Cooperative of Kalona |
Green Power Project |
11.2% |
2009 |
4 |
Madison Gas and Electric |
Green Power Tomorrow |
9.0% |
1999 |
5 |
Sacramento Municipal Utility District |
Greenergyb |
8.7% |
1997 |
6 |
City of Naperville, ILd |
Renewable Energy Program |
8.0% |
2005 |
7 |
Silicon Valley Powera |
Santa Clara Green Powerb |
7.8% |
2004 |
8 |
Pacific Power — Oregon Onlyf |
Blue Sky Blockb, Blue Sky Usageb, Blue Sky Habitatb |
6.9% |
2000g |
9 |
River Falls Municipal Utilitiese |
Renewable Energy Programb |
6.4% |
2001 |
10 |
Lake Mills Light & Watere |
Renewable Energy Programb |
5.3% |
2001 |
a Marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
b Product is Green-e Energy certified.
c Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
d Marketed in partnership with Community Energy Inc.
e Power supplied by WPPI Energy.
f Some products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
g Blue Sky Habitat & Blue Sky Usage programs began in 2002.
Community Solar Programs
(as of December 2010) |
Utility/Provider |
Program |
Program Size (kW) |
Program Start |
Ashland, Oregon |
Solar Pioneers II |
63 |
2008 |
Bainbridge Island, Washington |
Solar for Sakai |
5 |
2009 |
Ellensburg, Washington |
Community Solar Project |
27 |
2006 |
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative |
Simple Solar |
117 |
2008 |
Holy Cross Energy/Clean Energy Collective |
Mid Valley Solar Array |
80 |
2010 |
Sacramento Municipal Utility District |
SolarShares |
1,000 |
2008 |
St. George, Utah |
SunSmart |
250 |
2009 |
United Power |
Sol Partners Cooperative Solar Farm |
10 |
2009 |
For more information on community solar programs, see:
http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/community_re.shtml.
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