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Today I received a pamphlet from Consumers Energy trying to get me to sign up for their Green Generation program. Essentially you can 'purchase' renewable energy for your home. If I were to 'purchase' the same amount of kilowatt-hours that I'm currently using it would add about $5.00/mo to my bill. Has anyone heard of this? Does any one participate? Any more info?

http://www.greengeneration.com

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Today I received a pamphlet from Consumers Energy trying to get me to sign up for their Green Generation program. Essentially you can 'purchase' renewable energy for your home. If I were to 'purchase' the same amount of kilowatt-hours that I'm currently using it would add about $5.00/mo to my bill. Has anyone heard of this? Does any one participate? Any more info?

http://www.greengeneration.com

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I participate in this program. I think it adds about 1.6 cents to your bill for each kilowatt hour you use. I am paying for 100% participation and it's only adding a few dollars a month to my bill. Of course I live in a studio apartment. Still, I think it's a small price to pay to promote renewable energy.

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Great topic for a thread! I do have to say that even though I am a 100% buyer, I am very conflicted about it. I also want to say that I am really happy to see Nitro’s company participates in this. Kudos Nitro.

Con:

1) My biggest reservation is that yes when participating you add green energy to the grid, but you are still paying for coal. For instance, this month I am paying roughly $24 for coal power/nuclear (70% of Michigan’s power is from coal, 28% from nuclear) for 545 KWs and roughly $9 for wind/biomass (I believe 95% wind?) for 545 KWs. So as you hook up to Consumers you are effectively shifting the demand curve for power out due to the increase in income (ie. money flowing to Consumers). The theory is that by buying green power you negate that shift, but it is pretty well known that Michigan’s power hunger is growing exponentially. Thus, by buying green power you may satiate the need to burn a pound or two of coal today, but it will surely be burned tomorrow due to the demand of many other consumers. According to Mackinaw Power, Michigan’s energy needs are growing at 400-800 MW per year! Consumers Energy still sees the demand curve shifting out and will surely build more coal plants in the future because they are a publicly trading company that wants revenue at the lowest possible cost.

There was a great “Science Friday” piece with Ira Flatow on NPR a couple of weeks ago and a caller asked about these types of “offsets.” The guests concluded that the best solution is to conserve as much energy as possible. Unfortunately I live in an apartment complex and there is really only so much I can do. I guess turning the temp down on the fridge and using compact flourescent light bulbs, for example, is the best that I can do at this juncture.

2) This is just conjecture but maybe the reason wind power is so expensive in Michigan is because soooo many people are against new wind farms. I remember a couple of years ago when I first moved here that Mackinaw Power wanted to build a new farm in Ottawa County but local residents were completely against it for “NIMBY” reasons. The same thing is happening in Leelanau County as well. I could be wrong, but the Ottawa project never got started. More farms=lower costs.

Pros:

1) By buying green power you are supporting a local company in Mackinaw Power, which is based in Lowell!

2)If everyone participated in this program then the coal/nuclear generation needs would be greatly diminished. Gotta love market economics. Unfortunately this program is not very popular and is no where near its max capacity of 1.7 million customers. Still, 1.7 million might not diminish the need for new coal plants. We need EVERYONE to participate.

Sorry for the long post, but I feel this is an important topic. Bottom line, in my opinion, is that you should go for it even though I have a few reservations.

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The Green Generation program is excellent. If consumers can drive the use of green energy it can encourage the greater use and support of it, plus many of the "credits" used for it are from Michigan green outfits.

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But it does smooth the transition out. It lengthens the time it takes to burn up all our coal reserves, though I have no idea when "peak coal" might be. We may continue using coal, but hopefully we can slow or even stop the increase in usage.

From a purely short-term economical standpoint it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to pay more for power than one has to. But for the price we may have to pay later may well make it worthwhile right now. A little investment now could pay huge dividends when the price of natural resources is extremely high and we already have alternative energy infrastructure in place.

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