SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The green power market delivered on its promises to customers in its first year, the Center for Resource Solutions reported today. The finding is based on completion of the first official verification process required under its Green-e Renewable Electricity Certification Program. The process demonstrated that green power claims can be verified in deregulated markets, and affirmed broad acceptance and participation by electricity companies in the voluntary Green-e Program. The Green-e Program is the nation's first and only certification program for electricity offerings based on renewable energy supply. The five major results of the verification process and California's first year of electric service choice are summarized below.

1. MARKETERS EXCEED REQUIREMENTS FOR GREEN POWER SUPPLY

The Green-e Verification Reports, completed by independent Auditors, document that California's retail electricity marketers selling Green-e Certified Products purchased more renewable energy supply than required for certification. The Reports show that 99% of the total electricity purchased by retail green power companies for customers of Green-e Certified Products was supplied by renewable resources, despite the fact that 7 of 13 Green-e certified products offered in California were marketed as having 50-75% renewable energy (the other 6 were 100% products). This finding allays doubts that green power customers would face widespread deception from marketers failing to meet their green power promises. The major renewable sources used to supply Green-e Certified Products during 1998 included geothermal sources (using heat from below the earth's surface), biomass (utilizing landfill gas and other waste material as fuel), and small scale hydropower.

2. OVER 90% OF CALIFORNIA'S RESIDENTIAL GREEN ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS BOUGHT GREEN-E CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

A comparison between aggregate switch numbers derived from the Green-e Verification Reports and California Public Utility Commission data (DASR reports) received over the same period show that over 90% of Californians who chose green power in 1998 bought Green-e Certified Products. "Green-e Certification has become the standard for California's green power market. As a result, customers are receiving the benefit of the Green-e Program's comprehensive quality assurance and consumer protection requirements.," said Karl R. Rábago, Chair of the Green Power Board that oversees the Green-e Program.

3. POLLUTION PREVENTION FROM GREEN POWER PURCHASES EQUIVALENT TO TAKING 48,000 CARS OFF THE ROAD FOR ONE YEAR

The green power supplied to customers of California's Green-e Certified Products relied on almost 10 times more renewable energy than California's system mix of electricity. By relying on renewable energy, California customers kept some 234,000 tons of CO2 emissions out of the atmosphere -- the equivalent of emissions from 48,000 cars in one year. "By reducing our use of fossil fuels and traditional power sources," said Jan Hamrin, Executive Director of the Center for Resource Solutions, "Californians are leading the way in helping protect the environment by choosing environmentally superior energy technologies."

4. NON-RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ACCOUNT FOR ONE-FIFTH OF GREEN POWER SALES

Green-e Verification Reports also document a significant interest in green power by non-residential consumers. Aggregated Green-e Certified Product sales data indicate that 21 percent of green power demand in the first year came from large customers (industrial, small commercial, and agricultural). "Demand for green power by larger customers far exceeded our expectations," said Jan Hamrin. "Marketers have responded to this interest by redesigning their products and services to meet the specialized needs of larger customers," said Hamrin.

5. GREEN POWER MARKET SPURS NEW RENEWABLES

The verification data also show that California's market restructuring has helped stimulate the construction of new renewable resources in the state for the first time in ten years. Enron Wind Company is building a new 16.5 MW wind facility and GreenMountain.com is building a 2 MW facility specifically to meet the demand of the green market. Another 55 projects comprising over 500 MW of new renewable resources are planned for construction under the California Energy Commission's (CEC) $160 million first round grant program established by California's deregulation law. Approximately 300 MW of this new generation is scheduled to begin operation within the next year.