MARYLAND to BUY WIND ENERGY from Wind Farm in WEST VIRGINIA

The State of Maryland and the University of Maryland are to Buy Wind Energy from a new $131 million wind farm planned for West Virginia

September 22, 2010

By James Cartledge with www.BrighterEnergy.org

Maryland’s Department of General Services will purchase 67% of the output from the 55MW Pinnacle Wind Farm, set to be built at Green Mountain, near Keyser, in Mineral County.

The remaining power will go to the University of Maryland.

The deals with Pennsylvania-based utility-scale wind developer US Wind Force LLC, are set to run for 20 years.

The Pinnacle Wind Farm is to comprise 23 turbines, generating around 169 million kilowatt-hours of power each year.

It is expected to be one of the county’s biggest taxpayers, expected to generate around $433,000 each year in property taxes for the county.

A $540,000 community fund is also being set up by US Wind Force to provide funds for local community projects.

Next step

Dave Friend, US Wind Force’s Chairman and CEO, said the power purchase agreements were an “important next step” in the development of the wind project, which secured its permit from state regulators back in January

Mr Friend said: “It is rewarding to know the public recognizes the benefits of wind energy. The State of Maryland has demonstrated this by believing in this project and by agreeing to use the power as part of its energy mix.”

Paper manufacturer NewPage Corporation is partnering with US Wind Force on the project, with six of the turbines set to be located on NewPage property by Luke, Maryland.

“This partnership is an example of our commitment to support the growth of sustainable energy and is consistent with our goal to continuously explore renewable energy opportunities for our facilities,” said David Bonistall, vice president, Environmental, Health and Safety for NewPage.

US Wind Force has established a Community Advisory Panel to help engage with members of nearby communities of Keyser, New Creek, Piedmont, and Elk Garden.

The developer, which has its head office in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, develops projects with Edison Mission Group, the Californian power generation business of Edison International.

SWITCH ELECTRIC RATES NOW AND SAVE!

Marylanders in SEARCH of LOWER BILLS FINDING ALERNATE ELECTRIC SUPPLIERS

Electric choice slowly grows: Marylanders in search of lower bills gradually finding alternate suppliers

Feb 21, 2010 (The Baltimore Sun - McClatchy Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --

Howard County resident Mark D. Case saved a bundle by dumping Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and signing on with an alternative electricity supplier. He points out that residents could save about 10 percent or more by doing the same.

He should know. He's a top executive with BGE.

"It's still one of the best-kept secrets in Maryland, and that's unfortunate," said Case, the company's senior vice president of strategy and regulatory affairs.

Maryland deregulated the power business more than a decade ago to allow residential and commercial consumers to sign contracts to lock in lower electricity prices with an alternative supplier, potentially cutting their monthly bills. But for years, residential consumers had few options other than the utilities, and few switched even after rate caps were lifted in 2006, making it easier to find better deals.

That trend appears to be changing, albeit at a glacial pace.

 

Only about 5 percent of the 1.1 million residential customers in BGE's service territory in the city and surrounding counties had switched to an alternative supplier as of January. While that's double the percentage that had done so a year earlier, it's still only a sliver of the residential market.

 and industrial customers have opted for an alternative supplier. More residents are expected to shop around as more suppliers have entered the market and as programs are put in place to encourage consumers to examine their options. Other possible factors behind the newfound urge to shop for electricity: the long, cold stretches that led to bigger utility bills last winter, a faltering economy that has prompted more budget scrutiny or the desire to get power from environmentally friendly energy sources.

In contrast, nearly a third of commercial

BGE Home, owned by BGE parent Constellation Energy, announced in January that it would start offering contracts, and Dominion Retail recently revived its alternative service in Maryland. BGE, which makes its money by distributing electricity, no matter who supplies it, also ran TV ads about electric choice last year.

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Maryland mandates every licensed electricity supplier to obtain 7.5% of their electricity load from renewable sources. The electricity you get through Viridian's Everyday Green plan is 20% green, while most of our competitors merely meet the 7.5% benchmark. Simply by switching, a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month will reduce their carbon emissions by more than 1,920 pounds which is the equivalent of planting 114 trees or 2,115 miles not driven. The choice is clear.

For those wanting to do more, Viridian offers Maryland customers the opportunity to go 100% green through our Pure Green rate plan.

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Money Saving Tips to Become GREEN ENERY EFFICIENT

MONEY SAVING TIPS for the HOME using GREEN ENERGY THINKING!

CFLs - The installation of compact fluorescent lights (CFL) in a home is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways for a household to reduce energy costs.  ENERGY STAR CFLs use 75% less electricity than standard bulbs and last ten times as long.  In addition, CFLs produce less heat than standard bulbs resulting in savings in cooling costs.  These savings are based on replacing 80% of all bulbs with CFLs in a home that previously used about 25,700 incandescent lamp-hours per year.

Wall Insulation - Almost half of the homes in Maryland are over 30 years old.  Older homes tend to be less well insulated than newer homes.  For homes with little or no wall insulation, blown-in wall insulation can result in significant energy savings. To Save money on your electric bill each month, make the Switch to GREEN ENERGY

Ductwork - In many houses, heating and cooling ductwork is run through unconditioned spaces like attics and garages.  If any openings exist in the ductwork, conditioned air escapes causing energy costs to increase.  By ensuring ductwork is properly sealed, household energy costs can be minimized.

Attic Penetrations - In homes, penetrations are often made into unconditioned attic space when recessed lighting, plumbing vents, and chimneys are installed.  If not sealed properly, these penetrations can cause conditioned air to draft into the unconditioned attic space, increasing heating and cooling costs.  By ensuring that attic penetrations are properly sealed, heating and cooling costs can be minimized.

Ceiling Insulation - Some older homes may not have the most effective insulation in their ceilings.  By upgrading ceiling insulation to R-38 or higher insulation, residents can improve the building envelope of their home.

Low flow showerheads – Low flow showerheads reduce water consumption and save energy by requiring less hot water to be generated.

ENERGY STAR appliances- ENERGY STAR appliances use less energy than appliances built to only meet the minimum federal standard.  In addition, consumers should look for the yellow and black EnergyGuide label when shopping for appliances.  This label indicates how energy efficient an appliance is in comparison to similar model appliances.