Green-e

Green Power Marketers Voluntarily Seek Product Certification to Ensure Consumer Protection in California's New Electricity Market
November 1, 1997

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Center for Resource Solutions today announced the first six power marketers who have sought certification under the Green-e Renewable Electricity Branding Program. These marketers include Green Mountain Energy Resources, Enron Energy Services, Foresight Energy Company, PacifiCorp, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), and Edison Source. The marketers are now entitled to use the Green-e Brand in marketing materials related to their certified products.

"The green power movement has arrived," said Jan Hamrin, Executive Director of the Center for Resource Solutions, "and we are happy to see that leading green power companies are committed to high standards of customer protection and to selling electricity products with real environmental value."

Green power marketers participating in the Green-e Program hope it will help raise consumer awareness about how electricity choices affect the environment. As the country's first voluntary certification and verification program for renewable energy based electricity products, the Green-e Brand will help consumers easily identify certified products that are based on at least 50% renewable energy supply. Julie Blunden, Regional Director for Green Mountain Energy Resources, said, "Customer choice on electricity is revolutionary-the Green-e Program's high standards will go a long way towards giving customers confidence in the choices they make."

The Green-e Program was designed to help protect customers from misleading advertising claims about "green" electricity products. Program participants believe the Green-e Brand and the standards it represents will raise public awareness about the environmental costs of electricity production, minimize air pollution, and stimulate the renewable electricity market. Lou Pai, Chairman and CEO of Enron Energy Services, said that "Enron is reinforcing our commitment to the environment through our investments in renewable energy and by becoming a member of the Green-e Program."

"SMUD wholeheartedly supports the Green-e Program's Code of Conduct for selling renewable resources," said Jan Schori, General Manager of SMUD. "With 'Green-e,' our ratepayers are now assured of getting an unbiased, independent stamp of approval that underscores SMUD's commitment to renewable energy," Schori continued. Use of the Green-e Brand is applicable only to certified electricity products that meet the Green-e Program's minimum requirements for renewable electricity supply.

Participants in the Green-e Program are required to fully disclose to their customers the sources of the electricity products they market. Further, power providers who use the Green-e Brand must abide by the Green-e Program's Code of Conduct governing their business practices. "Signing the Green-e Agreement is very much in line with our desire to meet the highest standards of environmental acceptance for our renewable energy products," stated Dennis Steinberg, Senior Vice President of PacifiCorp.

The Green-e Program is governed by a blue ribbon independent oversight board-the Green Power Board. Operating with support from two advisory committees-an Ad Hoc Governmental Advisory Committee and a Power Marketers Advisory Committee-the Green Power Board will ensure that the Green-e Program's ethical, consumer and environmental protection standards remain high and that the Green-e Logo serves as an effective and credible means for denoting certified renewable energy electricity products. "Foresight Energy Company is very pleased with the Green-e Program and will use the Green-e Brand to assure its wholesale customers that the turnkey green power products it provides meet the highest standards of environmental performance," stated Eric Miller, President & CEO of Foresight Energy Company.

"Participation in the Green-e Program helps demonstrate Edison Source's pledge to cleaner energy and the environment," commented Robert Handell, President and Chief Operating Operating of Edison Source. For the non-renewable portion of products bearing the Green-e Brand, to the extent any fossil resources are used, those resources must have air emissions per/kWh for SOX, NOX, and greenhouse gases less than or equal to California System Power. In addition, nuclear energy beyond that contained in system power may not be included in Green-e products.

During the coming year, the Green Power Board will evaluate program standards to require the use of newly installed renewable resources to ensure further environmental improvement as demand for green power increases. "The Green-e Program will help ensure that credible green power is a real option for electricity customers in new electricity markets and as we move into the next millennium," stated Karl Rábago, energy program manager for the Environmental Defense Fund and Chair of the Green Power Board.