Since 2000, RNP has produce a report on the success of the voluntary green power purchases made by customers through their utility programs. The results have been astounding. The latest report, Powerful Choices XI, shows that over 177,000 utility customers at more than 40 utilities in the Northwest have voluntarily elected to purchase renewable energy. Collectively, they purchased more than 1.7 billion megawatt-hours in 2010, or enough energy to power 142,000 homes.

 

 

Northwest customers are voluntarily purchasing the equivalent to output of a large, 590 megawatt (MW) capacity wind farm, which is more than the combined output of the region’s largest wind farms — Stateline (300 MW) and Wild Horse (228.6 MW). 

 

Another way to put that into perspective is that the total for new renewable projects in the entire region is 5,400 MW (as of August 2011). As you can see, voluntary purchases by utility customers in the Northwest are making a big impact. These figures don't take into account that many businesses purchase their green power through third-party marketers instead of going through their utility, so the true impact of voluntary purchases is even more impressive than this report shows.

 

Join the party! Sign up to purchase renewable energy today!