Green Power Partnership
Partner Profile
| Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission | |
| Location | Laurel, MD |
| Organization Type | Govt. (Local, Municipal) |
| Percentage Green Power | 27.8% |
| Purchasing Third-Party Certified Green Power Product? | No |
| Organization-wide Purchase | Yes |
Environmental Web Page  | |
| Partner Profile The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is the 8th largest water and wastewater utility in the United States. It currently uses 60 million kWh per year of green power, providing approximately 28% of its electricity. Although using wind power clearly benefits the environment, the idea to use wind originated from the need to control operating costs. WSSC learned several lessons during the green power commitment process. First, it had to demonstrate to key stakeholders that it would be a good deal for its ratepayers. WSSC staff provided a crash course on wind power, holding discussions about its environmental benefits and current energy market economics. Focusing on how buying direct wind power at a fixed price would save money and help the utility improve local air quality broke through the initial skepticism. The next hurdle was overcoming reservations about a long-term purchase power agreement. By focusing on universal projections of higher conventional electricity prices and rising renewable energy portfolio standards, WSSC staff was able to convince key decision-makers to approve the contract. Since WSSC began operating under the wind power agreement in April 2008, it has achieved more than $1,000,000 in savings. "Direct wind-power purchasing was a win-win-win for WSSC, its customers and the environment," says Rob Taylor, WSSC's Energy Manager. "It provides the opportunity to reduce the Commission's energy prices by providing a long-term hedge against rising generation costs, help clean the air we breathe, and to reduce our carbon footprint." | |