Renewable Source
Members who join our Renewable Source program will agree to pay a little extra on their monthly electric bills to support adding renewable energy resources into the power generation mix.
Every kilowatt-hour of Renewable Source electricity in our power supply mix is consumer demand that's being met without burning a fossil fuel.
Electricity generated from renewable resources is more expensive than current fossil fuel generation. That's why Renewable Source power costs a little more. But your small investment can help make a big difference in your energy future.
Why support Renewable Source?
With every use and purchase of electricity, you are granting approval to the manner in which it is generated and delivered to you. Investing in blocks of Renewable Source power will help:
 Create a market for electricity generated from renewable resources.
Create U.S. jobs in the renewable energy industry.
Support development of technology that produces electricity using naturally renewable, and therefore infinite, resources. Renewable Source power also produces fewer emissions than fossil fuel generation.
Show that consumers are willing to shoulder additional costs to promote cleaner and more sustainable electricity generation.
To Join the Force for Renewable Source:
Call the office, stop by or send an e-mail.
Commit to buying at least 1 block of Renewable Source power (1,200 kilowatt-hours for $42). You may buy as many blocks of Renewable Source power as you want.
You may pay for the entire block at the time
of commitment ($42 per block), or you may choose to pay in monthly installments of $3.50 per block for one year ($3.50 X 12 months = $42). Your regular monthly bill would then include an itemized charge of $3.50 extra for Renewable Source. A contract is required.
Bulk purchases of renewable energy will be added to the power supply mix every quarter based on member demand. For future contracts, the price per block of Renewable Source power is subject to change based on the renewable resources available at that time.
Where does Renewable Source power come from?
Renewable Source power is electricity that is generated from any of the renewable resources described here.
Photovoltaic systems (solar cells) convert sunlight directly into electricity. A solar cell is typically combined into modules that are mounted in arrays. These arrays can be used to generate electricity for a single building, or in very large numbers for a power plant. The amount and duration of electricity produced by solar cells varies greatly depending on geographical location, time of day, season and clouds.
Wind turbines capture the wind's energy with two or three propeller- like blades mounted on a rotor to generate electricity. The turbines sit high atop towers, taking advantage of the stronger wind at 100 feet or more above ground. Large numbers of turbines are usually built close together to form wind farms. The challenge to using wind energy is that the wind doesn't always blow when electricity is needed. Wind can't be stored, and not all wind can be used to generate electricity. These factors drive up the cost of electricity generated by the wind.
Hydroelectric power is probably the most recognized renewable resource. The most common type of hydro plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, which turns a generator to produce electricity.
Biomass (organic matter) can be burned  to create steam and generate electricity. There are many types of biomass such as nutshells, cornfiber, sawdust, yard clippings, fish oil, medical waste, old tires, and methane captured from landfills, municipal waste water treatment facilities, and manure lagoons on cattle, poultry and hog farms.
Geothermal energy originates deep in the earth's molten interior. Steam from the earth is directed through a turbine to activate a generator and produce electricity. Geothermal plants are limited greatly by location.
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