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Top Ten Utility Green Power Programs
(as of December 2010)
Which utilities are having the greatest success with their green power programs? NREL has compiled extensive data on utility green power programs and produced the following "Top Ten" lists of program characteristics and results: total sales of renewable energy to program participants; total number of customer participants; customer participation rates; and the lowest premium charged to support new renewables development.
Download Information Release:
NREL Highlights 2010 Utility Green Power Leaders
Previous Top Ten Lists -
December 2009, December 2008, December 2007, December 2006, December 2005, December 2004, December 2003, December 2002, December 2001, June 2001, November 2000, April 2000
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 Districtb | Wind, hydro, biomass, solar | 395,537,564 | 45.2 |
| 5 | Xcel Energybf | Wind, solar | 388,837,429 | 44.4 |
| 6 | Puget Sound Energybg | 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 Energiesb | Wind, landfill gas, solar | 164,546,605 | 18.8 |
- An "average megawatt" (aMW) is a measure of continuous capacity equivalent (i.e. operating at a 100% capacity factor).
- Product is Green-e Energy (www.green-e.org) certified.
- Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
- Some Oregon products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- Includes Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power.
- Includes Northern States Power, Public Service Company of Colorado and Southwestern Public Service.
- Residential product marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- Data period: February 2010 thru January 2011.
- 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 |
- Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
- Includes Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power.
- Some Oregon products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- Product is Green-e Energy certified.
- Includes Northern States Power, Public Service Company of Colorado and Southwestern Public Service.
- Marketed in partnership with Community Energy Inc.
- Residential product marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- 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% |
- Power supplied by WPPI Energy.
- Product is Green-e Energy certified.
- Power supplied by Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority.
- Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
- Marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- Some Oregon products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- 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 |
- Product is Green-e Energy certified.
- Power supplied by Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority.
- Premium is variable; customers in these programs are exempt or otherwise protected from changes in utility fuel charges.
- Power is supplied by Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
- 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 Onlyg | Blue Sky Blockb, Blue Sky Usageb, Blue Sky Habitatb | 6.9% | 2000h |
| 9 | River Falls Municipal Utilitiese | Renewable Energy Programb | 6.4% | 2001 |
| 10 | Lake Mills Light & Watere | Renewable Energy Programb | 5.3% | 2001 |
- Marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- Product is Green-e Energy certified.
- Marketed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company.
- Marketed in partnership with Community Energy Inc.
- Power supplied by WPPI Energy.
- Some products marketed in partnership with 3Degrees Group Inc.
- 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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For More Information -
Online Report: Utility Green Pricing Programs: What Defines Success?. NREL/TP-620-29831, August 2001. (PDF 1.1 MB)
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