WVPA first Indiana utility to earn Green-e certification

INDIANA - The Center for Resource Solutions announced that Wabash Valley Power Association (WVPA)’s wind- and landfill gas–generated renewable energy certificate (REC) product WVPA Wind and Landfill Gas RECs has been certified by Green-e Energy, a national certification program for renewable energy.

WVPA has offered RECs to its customers since 2004. With Green-e Energy Certification, the Indianapolis-based generation and transmission cooperative has taken additional steps to ensure the WVPA Wind and Landfill Gas RECs product meets strict environmental and consumer protection standards.

RECs are bought and sold on national markets and represent the environmental and social benefits of generating electricity from renewable sources. They are available to commercial, industrial and wholesale customers, and support currently available renewable resources as well as aid in the development of those in the future. Furthermore, organizations located throughout the United States can support renewable energy generation even when green power products are not locally available.

“WVPA is the first Indiana-based company to participate in Green-e Energy by offering a certified renewable energy option” said Andreas Karelas, Green-e Energy Program Analyst. “WVPA’s REC product has just made it even easier for businesses and institutions nationwide to reduce the environmental impact of the electricity they use.”

“Green-e certification for our products is central to Wabash Valley Power's goal of building an Energy Smart future for our 28 member cooperatives," said Rick D. Coons, WVPA President and CEO. "We pursue renewable generation whenever it makes good economic sense. It’s simply the right thing to do. By adding a Green-e certified product to our program, it further demonstrates our commitment to our members, to the environment, and to our industry.”

Green-e Energy is the leading renewable energy certification and verification program in the U.S., with over 180 participating vendors selling nearly 15.7 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy in 2007. The program provides independent, third party certification to ensure renewable energy meets strict environmental and consumer protection standards.

Providers of Green-e Energy Certified renewable energy agree to abide by the Green-e Energy Code of Conduct, and meet strict disclosure and truth-in-advertising requirements. All marketers of Green-e Energy Certified products undergo an annual verification audit to document that the company purchased and/or generated enough quantity and type of renewable energy to meet customer demand and marketing claims.

The Green-e logo, the national symbol for renewable energy excellence, enables a growing number of consumers to easily identify high quality, certified renewable energy options, as well as everyday consumer products that are produced by companies that use renewable energy in their operations.