PRESS ROOM
News Item
3DEGREES EARNS NATION'S TOP GREEN POWER HONOR
Two utility partnership customers of 3Degrees also recognized
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – October 28, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced yesterday that 3Degrees would be recognized during the Green Power Leadership Awards for their commitment to programs that allow consumers and businesses to purchase clean and green energy options, while also integrating sustainable energy strategies that make good business sense.
As part of the National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in Denver this week, DOE along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), are honoring 25 leading corporations, renewable energy suppliers and industry pioneers for helping advance the nation’s green power markets.
“DOE selected these organizations for their leadership in helping our nation grow its market for clean energy alternatives for businesses and consumers,” DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Steve Chalk said. “Consumer purchases of renewable energy help diversify our energy supplies, strengthen our national security, and reduce global environmental impacts. Currently, more than 850 utilities, or about 25 percent nationally, offer green power programs to customers, and through the combination of utility green pricing and competitive retail markets, green power is available in almost every state.”
3Degrees is both a premier marketer of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and high quality Verified Emission Reductions (aka, carbon offsets) to businesses as well as a turnkey marketing partner to utilities seeking to offer a green power option to their ratepayers. In addition to the award given to 3Degrees, two of its utility partners were also recognized. AmerenUE (Pure Power) and The City of Palo Alto Utilities (PaloAltoGreen) were awarded for the success of their green power programs, which are marketed and managed by 3Degrees.
“I’m thrilled 3Degrees has received this award and proud that our utility partners are also being recognized for their pioneering programs.” said Adam Capage, Director of Utility Partnerships. “Together, we’ll keep doing what we do best, which is building the market for new, high quality renewable energy resources. There’s a lot more work to be done!”
AWARD DETAILS
3Degrees was recognized as Large Commercial/Institutional Green Power Program or Supplier of the Year for demonstrating leadership, growth and success in supplying and marketing renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets to large commercial customers in voluntary green power markets. 3Degrees’ large, high quality portfolio of renewable energy projects in 23 states from wind, solar, landfill gas, geothermal and biomass resources serves more than 250 national and international business customers, including utilities around the nation. Annual sales recently exceeded 4 billion kWh, and the company serves six of the top 15 largest purchasers nationally.
AmerenUE’s Pure Power program, was recognized as New Green Power Program of the Year for being the “most successful” green power program (offered starting January 2007 or later) in the marketplace based on both quantitative criteria, such as customer participation and green power sales, and qualitative criteria, such as overall value provided to customers. Built on a grassroots approach, AmerenUE offers one of the largest green-pricing programs in the Midwest, where program marketing and education have enhanced its immediate success. The utility surpassed 17 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy sales at the end of May. AmerenUE Pure Power program now serves nearly 4,000 customers in the St. Louis area. The rapid growth in customer participation in the program has resulted from extensive outreach efforts to develop commercial business partnerships.
The City of Palo Alto Utilities was recognized as Small Residential/Commercial Green Power Program or Supplier of the Year for being the leading renewable energy program playing a prominent role in supplying renewable energy to residential and small business customers in the voluntary green power market. The City of Palo Alto Utilities draws renewable energy from 100 percent new, local and regional wind and solar projects that have come online since 2005. Since launching its program five years ago, annual sales have consistently increased and are expected to reach 59 million kWh in 2008, with a customer participation rate of 20.4 percent, the highest rate in the nation.
For more information about the awards, visit
www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/conference/awards08.html.
CONTACT
Krista Canellakis
3Degrees
415.370.6490
PR@3degreesinc.com