US DOE report says retail green power programs on the rise

Philadelphia (Platts)--24Oct2005

Retail "green power" programs in the US are growing and supporting
the development of hundreds of MW of new wind farms and other renewable energy
projects each year, the Dept of Energy said in a report released Monday
morning. 

     More than 50% of electricity customers now have the option of purchasing
green power, and in 2004 about 520,000 purchased a total of about 4,390-mil
MWh of green power, the report said. It added that green power supplying
retail markets came from 2,233 MW of wind farms and other renewable
sources--that number was up sharply from 1,636 MW in 2003 and 974 MW in 2002.

     The average price premium that retail customers pay for green power has
been declining steadily since 2000, the DOE said. That year, the average price
premium was 3.48 cts/kWh; by 2004 it had declined to 2.45 cts/kWh.

     "Nationwide, the number of customers purchasing green power grew
moderately in 2004 as a result of new utility/marketer partnerships in the
Northeast, customer switching in Texas, and continued growth in both existing
and new green pricing programs," the report said. "However, consumer awareness
of green power options remains low and continues to pose a barrier to
achieving greater market penetration rates. Regional marketing efforts
recently initiated by a number of states, nonprofits, and utility groups may
help to raise awareness among consumers."

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