Blair G. Swezey, Ashley H. Houston and Kevin L. Porter are Principal Policy Advisor, Staff Analyst, and Policy Analyst, respectively. Information for this article is drawn from the Information Brief on Green Power Marketing, a quarterly publication produced by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that is available on the Green Power Network, an internet site maintained by NREL for the Office of Utility Technologies of the U.S. Department of Energy. Customers contribute to a utility-managed fund for renewable energy project development that is unrelated to their electricity consumption. Utilities use these funds to implement small renewable energy projects in their service territories. These projects may or may not result in actual renewable electricity generation for the customers.
Customers purchase a fixed block of their electric capacity requirements from renewables.
Customers purchase a portion or all of their electric energy requirements from renewable energy sources, with the total monthly premium based on the quantity supplied. This type of program offers renewables that are most competitive with bulk power generation. Three schools-based projects with three more planned. On the other hand, green power marketers would argue that as the market opens, customers will become better educated about green choices through industry marketing efforts, thus increasing the numbers of customers willing to switch. A Policy Handbook for States.