GP: BEF Provides incentives to stimulate new solar

["Tom Gray" <tomgray@igc.org>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Field [mailto:pamfield@b-e-f.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 12:52 PM
Subject: BEF Provides incentives to stimulate new solar

The Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Provides Economic Stimulus to Install New Solar

To meet the demand of their customers for solar energy, the Bonneville
Environmental Foundation (BEF) will provide incentives to install 80
kilowatts of new solar capacity.


(Reno, Nev.) The Bonneville Environmental Foundation announced today that it
will pay the owners of new photovoltaic systems 10 cents per kilowatt hour
for the environmental attributes ­ or Green Tags ­ associated with their
operation to satisfy the new solar specified in sales agreements with
Xantrex Technology Inc. and Schott Applied Power.  Both companies have
signed commitments for Green Tags requiring the installation of 80 kW of
solar to meet their demand.

The announcement was made during the National Solar Energy Conference
presented by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) in Reno, Nevada.
ASES demonstrated its support for renewable energy by buying BEF Green Tags
to offset the environmental impact of the electricity use of the four-day
conference.

“We are pleased to welcome Schott Applied Power into our 100% club for
companies that purchase enough renewable energy to meet all of their
electricity needs. And, to provide special acknowledgement for Xantrex
Technology,” said Robert Harmon, Vice President of BEF and Director of
Renewable Energy Programs for the Foundation. “After making the 100%
commitment to Green Tags in 2001 for their facility in Arlington,
Washington,
Xantrex has now expanded to include their facility in Livermore,
 California.”

Both of these companies made a three-year commitment that specifies that
5% of their Green Tags come from new solar resources. This makes Xantrex the
largest purchaser of solar Green Tags in the United States.

Green Tags represent the offset in emissions of carbon dioxide and other
pollutants that occur when renewable energy replaces traditional forms of
power generation. BEF Green Tags, which are certified by Green-e and The
Climate Neutral Network, come from new wind and solar resources endorsed by
three regional environmental groups. The net revenue from selling BEF Green
Tags
is invested in the next new renewable energy project.

“Our commitment to green power demonstrates our commitment to a sustainable
future,” said Kevin Hagen, Director of Sales and Marketing for Xantrex'
Distributed
Power Market Unit. “We made this purchase to help stimulate the demand for
renewable energy and to contribute to the growth and development of the
solar
industry.”

Schott Applied Power, a solar electric systems company, was attracted to BEF
’s offer to
customize their purchase, allowing them to specify extra solar Green Tags.
“We look
forward to working with BEF to support an expanding market for green power
products,
particularly those with a strong solar energy component,” stated Tom Starrs,
President of
Schott Applied Power. “BEF is doing remarkably innovative and pioneering
work in
promoting the development of viable markets for new environmentally
preferred power.”

To provide the new solar for these customers, BEF will be partnering with
the Northwest
Renewable Energy Cooperative by providing incentives to install
approximately 50 new
small solar installations on homes and businesses.

“Solar energy, while a wonderful renewable source of power, is still
somewhat expensive
when compared to wind energy or polluting fossil fuels,” said Harmon. “We
are looking
forward to supporting those individuals who need a little extra revenue to
make their solar
systems more affordable.”

About BEF

The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a non-profit organization, was
established in
1998 to further the development and use of new renewable energy resources.
Through
revenues generated from the sales of green power products, BEF funds
projects that restore
damaged watersheds and support new renewable energy projects from solar,
wind and biomass.

BEF pioneered the sale of Green Tags in 1999 and has helped establish
national
standards for certification and trading. Created by regional environmental
groups and the
Bonneville Power Administration, the Foundation operates collaboratively but
independent
of both. Visit online at www.B-E-F.org

###


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