NEWS FROM WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2007
MEDIA CONTACT: Randy Wilkerson, 720-962-7056, wilkerson@wapa.gov
FEDERAL AGENCIES PURCHASE RENEWABLE ENERGY
CERTIFICATES
LAKEWOOD, Colo.— Working with Western Area
Power Administration, Los Alamos National Laboratories
and the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center purchased
renewable energy certificates to help meet renewable
energy goals set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Western contracted the purchase on behalf of the
facilities through its Renewable Resources for Federal
Agencies program. The program is a partnership with
the Federal Energy Management Program established
to help Federal agencies move toward the EPAct goals.
Element Markets LLC will supply RECs to Los Alamos
totaling 12,000 MWh over three years. The oilfield
testing center is making a one-time purchase of 2,667
MWh worth of RECs for FY2008. Element Markets will
provide the certificates for that purchase as well.
Western's Colorado River Storage Project—Management
Center coordinated the purchase.
Renewable energy certificates, or "green tags," are
the intangible environmental benefits associated
with generating one megawatthour of electric energy
by a renewable resource. Renewable energy producers
can sell the credits, as well as the power itself,
to offset the difference between the cost of the
renewable power and power from fossil energy sources.
Agencies that are not located near the source of
renewable generation can buy RECs and claim the environmental
benefits to meet their own or mandated goals.
For more about Western's renewable resources program,
log on to Western's Green Tags Web site, www.wapa.gov/powerm/pmtags.htm.
Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 10,000 megawatts of power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 western and central states. It is part of the Department of Energy.
Serving the West with Federal hydropower
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