On Earth Day, Puget Sound Energy welcomes three cities to the 2014 Take Charge Green Power Challenge: Issaquah, Puyallup and Redmond.
Starting now, Issaquah is competing to see which city can claim the title of “Greenest Town in the Puget Sound.”
Each city has set a goal — determined using a number of factors — to see how many additional homes and businesses sign up for PSE’s Green Power program, which allows PSE electric customers to pay a little more to guarantee some or all of their energy is from clean, renewable sources.
• Issaquah’s goal: Net increase of 180 participants
• Puyallup’s goal: Net increase of 200 participants
• Redmond’s goal: Net increase of 250 participants
Each city that meets its individual challenge goal will be awarded a $20,000 grant to go toward a solar project in their city. Each city will determine where its project will be located and how it will be implemented.
The city with the highest percentage of new enrollments out of available accounts compared to the other cities will be dubbed the “Greenest Town in the Puget Sound” and awarded an additional $20,000 to go toward their city’s solar project, for a possible total of $40,000. The challenge officially ends on Dec. 31, 2014.
PSE’s voluntary Green Power Program gives PSE electric customers a way to guarantee that some or all of the energy they use is matched in the electric grid with clean electricity from wind, solar, biogas and other renewable energy sources from the West. None of the renewable energy in PSE’s Green Power Program is generated by PSE; all of it comes from independent producers of renewable power.
PSE residential customers can purchase 100 percent green power for approximately $10 to $12 a month based on their actual usage or buy a specific amount, with a minimum purchase of $4 per month for 320 kilowatt hours (kWh). Additional green power can be bought in increments of $2 for 160 kWh. Business customers can also participate at rates specific to their situation.
For more information about the Take Charge Green Power Challenge, or to sign up for PSE’s Green Power Program, visit PSE.com/GPChallenge, or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m.-5 p.m.