About halfway through last year I decided to switch from the “normal” way of getting my electricity in the form of coal and nuclear power to go with 100% wind power.
At the time of the switch I was informed that I would expect to pay about 2.5 cents more per kWh for wind power than what most “normal” people would pay for their coal and nuclear power – in other words I agreed to pay a fixed rate of 17.10 cents per kWh for wind power.
I had been paying on average between $40 and $49 dollars per month with the traditional coal and nuclear powered electricity, and now that I’ve switched to wind power I haven’t noticed a difference in price. It has in fact stayed within the same range, and no, I am not on one of those averaging all of the months out plans. I actually pay each month for the amount of energy I use.
After being on the wind power for less than a year I received this sticker along with the letter below…
June 3, 2008
Dear Eric the BeehiveHairdresser,
Thank you for participating in the ConEdison Solutions WIND Power program! You are doing something positive for New York’s environment and we want to recognize you for your choice.
The attached certificate verifies that your annual clean energy purchase of 460 kilowatt-hours (kWh) has enabled clean, emission-free wind energy to enter the regional electricity grid on your behalf, and has reduced the need for energy from other sources.
You are making a real difference. You are joined by thousands of other New Yorkers who have chosen clean power, making a significant impact on the environment and the air we breathe. The cumulative impact of these New Yorkers lowers carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 450,000,000 pounds per year, a reduction equivalent to planting over 160,000 acres of trees or taking over 37,000 cars off the road!
We appreciate your leadership. As a result of the demand for wind power in New York, the construction of wind farms in New York is a reality. One behalf of ConEdison Solutions and Community Energy, we thank you for your clean energy leadership and for making a difference to our environment today and for the future.
If you would like to be added to our email list, for program-related information and offerings, please send us an email at ConEdSolutions@NewWindEnergy.com. Your email address will be used for the purpose of the ConEdison Solutions WIND Power Program and will not be sold or distributed to any parties other than ConEdison Solutions and Community Energy, Inc.
Thank you for your participation in the ConEdison Solutions WIND Power program. We look forward to serving your clean electricity needs for years to come!
Sincerely,
Peter Blom
Manager, Renewable Energy Services
ConEdison Solutions
Tess C. Barton
Program Manager
Community Energy, Inc.
That’s not all…I also received this certificate!
Yes, I purchased 460 kWh during the last four or so months of 2007 – and I live alone. Imagine how much clean wind power I would have purchased had I had a roommate or a family!
I bring this all up because both my birthday and the anniversary of this website is coming up and the only thing that I want is for as many readers as possible to switch to wind power! Just imagine how many more pounds of carbon dioxide we can take out of the air if all of us switch!
I cannot say this more plainly – you will still get electricity the normal way and at relatively the same cost, however, by choosing clean wind power you will force ConEdison (or your local electricity provider) to pump clean wind power into its electrical grid! The more clean wind power that enters the grid causes more need for wind farms to be built. The more wind farms that spring up the bigger the chance is that we will (hopefully) eliminate the need to build 45 new nuclear power plants by the year 2030!
Do you want to live in a land with 45 MORE nuclear power plants? I sure don’t!
Click here to find out more about green energy.
Click here to sign up to switch and start receiving green energy.
Thanks, and now for the obligatory Jerry MaGuire moment…”Who’s coming with me?”
Done and done! Thanks for the info!
Thank you and congrats Todd!
“Who’s coming with me?”
I just think that if we switch to anything different that we should also see some of the savings passed on to us. That would make more sense and make me look more into it.
You currently pay 4% state tax on your coal and nuclear electricity.
You do not pay any state tax on you wind electricity – this is where you are saving or at the very least paying the same as with what you would with the coal and electricity.
In any event even if there wouldn’t be a savings, shouldn’t 2.5 cents extra for someting that is 100% clean that doesn’t pollute the air be worth it?
I got my certificate too! almost 3000kwh for last year. Although it’s not particularly green of them to be sending an extra mailing to anyone who purchases green power. I placed the certificate on my fuse box- seems like an appropriate place.
Congrats Velvet Sea!
Greetings Beehive –
Just wanted to give a shout from ConEdison Solutions and to thank you much for your efforts in promoting Wind Energy!!
It’s great to see people with environmental passion and it’s much appreciated.
By the way — if you get a chance this weekend you might want to check out the CitySol Festival this weekend — here’s the website: http://www.citysol.org/
It’s quite cool, all about alternative energy / lifestyle — and it’s right on the river.
Best –
Peter Blom
ConEdison Solutions
blomp@conedsolutions.com
We live in Delaware and we have a power struggle our power co. dosent want to sign on with our new construction wind farm starting soon to be built but we would like to get wind power as soon as it comes available your comments are great thanks for the good conversation