Often dubbed "green power," renewable energy comes from sources such as animal waste, methane gas, wind and water.

Supporters say this is a better for the environment, but, so far, turning hog waste into central heating is too expensive to sell to everyone.

N.C. GreenPower, a nonprofit group started last fall, is developing renewable energy sources and asking people to donate $4 monthly on their power bills for what someday will be a block of 100 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy.

Locally in Onslow and Carteret counties, Jones-Onslow EMC, Progress Energy and Carteret-Craven Electrical Cooperative have all partnered with GreenPower and sought participants through newsletters included with bills.

"We think every citizen should be aware of the environment and where their energy is coming from," GreenPower spokesman Carl Wilkins said.

More than 5,000 customers in the state have supported GreenPower, including 70 Jones-Onslow customers in the last two months.

That number "exceeded our expectations greatly," Jones-Onslow spokesman Steve Goodson said. Most local customers donate one $4 block each month, but others have paid for two.

"It's been a real, what we like to say, grass-roots effort," Goodson said. "You've got to start somewhere."

Participants do not buy "green power" directly. Instead, money given now helps pay for renewable energy plants to be built throughout the state. Once the plants are online, 100 kilowatt- hours of energy will be pumped through the state's power grid for every $4 given, Wilkins said.

That's supposed to eventually reduce reliance on coal, gas or nuclear power.

"You're not paying for the electricity on your toaster. You're paying for energy on the power grid," he said.

GreenPower next month plans to announce the first renewable energy plants to be built in the state, Wilkins said.

GreenPower hopes to develop facilities that generate several types of renewable energy to be run and operated by the companies who build here.

Wilkins said he hopes new plants come on-line within a year.

"(Customers are) buying into the technology. It helps invest into the development of clean electricity," Carteret-Craven spokeswoman Lisa Taylor-Galizia said.

So far, Carteret-Craven has not had anyone join the effort, which surprises the company because customers live in areas with active environmental advocates.

Area companies will meet Wednesday in Jacksonville with GreenPower to plan for fresh marketing techniques.

The N.C. Utilities Commission approved the GreenPower program in January 2003, and the program, initially more popular in cities, is starting to spread to this area.