Renewable Energy in Washington State Pays Off

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=46660

Puget Sound Energy (PSE), a Northwest utility that builds and operates wind farms, is now giving its customers who generate clean, renewable power the opportunity to become "green energy" partners by providing them with annual incentive payments for all the electricity they produce.

Under PSE's new Renewable Energy Advantage Program (REAP), customers who generate their own electricity with solar, wind or anaerobic-digester systems can receive .15 to .54 cents from PSE for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) their systems generate up to a limit of $2,000 annually beginning this year. The payments are in addition to PSE's net-metering benefits and the consumer rebates PSE offers on the installation of solar-power equipment.

PSE's REAP program is the result of a recently implemented Washington law to provide financial incentives to encourage the in-state manufacture and installation of renewable energy systems. Customers who install renewable energy systems using components manufactured in Washington may boost their earnings to as much as .54 cents per kWh.

"Washington state's recent passage of Initiative 937 underscores that fact that our customers are dedicated to the use of clean energy," said Cal Shirley, PSE vice president of Energy Efficiency Services. "PSE is pleased to offer them the opportunity to be involved in this new green partnership as well as our other energy efficiency programs."

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[kestrel91316]

1. This is WAY cool. Congrats to them for doing the right thing.

[JohnWxy]

2. Really smart. Maybe this will get some attention in the new Congress. Let's hope.