RECORD YEAR FOR NORTHWEST RENEWABLE RESOURCES THANKS TO SUPPORT OF COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS
Bonneville Environmental Foundation posts significant increase in sales for 2002 of Green Tags in support
of Northwest wind and solar energy resources.
February 4, 2003 (Portland, OR) Portland's non-profit Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) announced today a record increase in the number of Green Tags sold during 2002. Totaling over $700,000 Green Tags, sales made during 2002 represents a 471% increase over 2001 sales.
BEF's 2002 Green Tag sales equals the total annual energy output of approximately 35 large utility-scale wind turbines and were sourced from facilities across the Pacific Northwest. Through displacing an equal number of megawatt-hours from fossil fuel energy production, these renewable energy resources avoided over 40,000 tons of carbon emissions and other pollutants.
Commercial accounts are a big factor in the increase over 2001. Oregon businesses such as West Linn Paper Co, Blue Heron Paper Co, Nike, Tektronix, SUMCO Oregon, Bear Creek Corp. and others have each made significant commitments to supporting the growth of renewable energy resources within Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest.
"The Foundation has been working to support and expand renewable energy resources since 1999. We developed the Green Tag just two years ago as an easy way for people to show their support of clean energy produced here in the Northwest" said Angus Duncan, BEF President. "Our results from 2002 prove that this strategy is gaining wider acceptance. We commend these forward-thinking businesses for helping us to change the makeup of our energy in the Northwest."
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit organization, all net-revenues from BEF's Green Tags sales are reinvested into building additional renewable energy resources throughout the Northwest. Along with supporting utility-scale wind energy, an additional 100 kW of electricity from new solar resources has been added to the energy grid through BEF's own projects. Recent projects include: Hanford Solar - White Bluffs WA, Brewery Blocks Solar - Portland OR and West Salem High School Solar - Salem OR.
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 bio-mass. 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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