<h3>Purpose</h3>
The purpose of this procedure is to support investment in new sources of renewable energy by buying either 50% or 100% of your electricity from renewable sources. By choosing or supporting green power, you are telling the utilities that this is where they should invest their development dollars, instead of fossil fuel or nuclear options. Supporting projects like this puts working capital towards the &ldquo;greening&rdquo; of our electricity grid and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.<br />
<font color="#0000ff"><strong>This Nugget is worth 1.4 points for every kWh of green electricity you purchase. </strong></font><br />
<h3>Fast Facts</h3>
<ul>
    <li>Green power, sometimes called clean energy, is energy derived from a renewable resource such as wind, solar, hydro, or geothermal.</li>
    <li>According to Mass Energy Consumers Alliance, a non-profit group that offers green power options to National Grid customers (through its GreenStart program), the following are emissions in pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour for their three available choices:
    <ul>
        <li>No green power: 1,397</li>
        <li>50% green power: 877</li>
        <li>100% green power: 320 (77% less CO2 than conventional sources)</li>
    </ul>
    </li>
    <li>If you are a National Grid customer, 29% of your electricity comes from nuclear power. If you participate in 100% GreenStart, that percentage drops to zero.</li>
    <li>Solar and wind combined constitute 1 percent of GreenStart power sources. Small hydro and biomass make up the other 99%.</li>
    <li>NSTAR has signed long-term contracts with Maple Ridge Wind Farm in upstate New York and the Kibby Wind Power Project (currently under development in Maine) to supply wind power to customers who sign up for NSTAR Green.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What to Do</h3>
<ul>
    <li>If your provider is NSTAR or National Grid, click the links below to view the programs they offer.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><a href="http://nstar.com/residential/customer_information/nstar_green/nstar_green.asp">NSTAR</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/home/energychoice/4_greenup_provider.asp">National Grid</a>  <br />
<br />
Other Utilities<br />
If you have a provider other than NSTAR or National Grid, visit <a href="http://www.masstech.org/CleanEnergyOrg/customer.asp">MassTech.org</a>, then choose your town to view your options.<br />
</blockquote>
<ol>
    <li>Choose the green electricity option that&rsquo;s right for you.</li>
    <li>When your next electricity bill arrives, check to make sure you have been enrolled in the green program of your choice.</li>
    <li>Each month, log your data in the Green Power nugget worksheet. Enter the total kWh of your bill and the percent participation you elected (50% or 100%).</li>
</ol>
<h3>My View</h3>
I used to be extremely bummed that our roof isn&rsquo;t quite good enough for solar electric panels. But actually I&rsquo;m glad because it pushed us to consider solar hot water, which is helping get us off oil. And with NSTAR Green, we can get 100% of our electricity from wind without any investment in PV panels, turbines, or other expensive equipment. It&rsquo;s easy, and it costs us just a few dollars more a month &ndash; a lot cheaper than our new solar hot water system! <br />
<em>Laurel Kayne, Arlington resident</em>