Paying Extra for Green Power, and Getting Ads Instead

[Chuck]

It's unclear if more alt energy projects have started with programs like these.

Kate Galbraith - NYTIMES - Nov 16, 2009

Clarification could make customers more willing -- Ed.

The solicitations have been flooding people’s mailboxes lately: pay a bit more on your electricity bill for 100 percent clean wind power. Or, the fliers say, buy “green power certificates” to offset your global warming emissions.

Close to a million electricity customers have signed up for such payments voluntarily, and the amount of electricity sold in this way has nearly tripled since 2005, amid rising concern about climate change and energy security. But the participants are in a distinct minority, with a sign-up rate of only about 2 percent in programs run by utilities... [Read More]

[Shiba3420]

I think I have commented on the likes of this before, and the plans are fooling. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone unless you have some guarentees.

Any power company providing such power at a direct increased cost to the consumer should have to do the following...
1. Designate generations sites as belonging to the plan
2. Tell the consumer what site(s) represents "their" power
3. Reimburse the consumer for power not generated at their site(s)
4. Not take additional monies/credits from other sources for that power (i.e. no gov dollars)
5. Report the power provided this way seperately from other power
6. Not claim the power against any local/state/fed requirements for % of green power.
7. Give an option to lock into a plan which could provide cheaper power if other sources go up in price.

In short, if the consumers believe they are paying for the green power, then they should be getting green power paid entirely by themselves and not by others. That generations shouldn't give benefits to anyone except the consumers who are paying for it. No power company or government should be able to claim it against any requirements.

This is why I won't buy such power, because I can't get such promises. I prefer to invest my money in companies building and operating such systems. That helps them get the stuff built and may provide me with a reasonable return in the future.

If you were paying for such a plan, would you expect it to be any other way?