Many states (like DC, MD, and VA) nationwide have gone through energy deregulation, meaning that you can now choose your electricity (or gas) supplier. Because of deregulation, there are several options available when it comes to powering your home or business, one of which is clean electricity. Renewable power companies (solar, geothermal, wind, etc.) scattered all over the USA produce clean electricity that is available for green enthusiasts everywhere. This clean electricity cannot be efficiently transported nationwide on a separate grid for specific paying customers, due to the long distances. Also, each electron generated from a clean source cannot be tracked individually once it goes into the national electric grid. So how can someone use clean electricity if they don’t have a clean power source nearby? Say hello to the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC). This tool was created through the EPA’s Green Partnership program. For more details on RECs check out this EPA.gov white paper [.pdf]), but we’ll give you the gist of it here.
What’s a REC?
When a wind farm somewhere in the midwest produces 1000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, two things happen: (1) the physical electricity goes into the national electric grid, thus providing power to the people nearby, and (2) a REC is created for that 1000 kilowatt hours of electricity generated, and this REC is tracked (info on geographic location and vintage of the generator) by a regional tracking system. One REC is equal to 1000 kilowatt hours of electricity produced by a renewable source (solar, geothermal, wind, etc.). These RECs are sold nationwide, and tracking systems allocate each REC to its purchaser.
So if you want to use clean renewable energy to power your home or business, and you can’t use solar panels, or geothermal, or wind turbines, etc. you can simply buy RECs from a supplier to cover your electricity usage and call it done. RECs are sold at a dollar-per-kilowatt-hour ($/kWh) rate that can be very competitive to your current energy supplier’s rates. There is absolutely no additional equipment needed, and you’ll still have the same electric grid reliability you’re used to! Because RECs are purchased through a one or 2-year contract, you’ll know exactly what your electricity rate will be for the duration of the contract, and more importantly, you’ll know that your electric bill payments go directly to fund more renewable power sources, like that wind farm out in the midwest. Basically, your current electricity provider will take your money and buy the amount of electricity you consumed for the month, from a clean power source, on your behalf.
What will my electric bill look like?
You’ll still get the same bill from your electricity provider, but here’s what changes: the generation and transmission costs are now taken care of by the clean RECs you purchased, while the distribution is still handled by your electricity provider. Think of it this way: the power generated by the wind farm, and the transmission of that power over huge electricity towers near highways is accounted for in the cost of the wind REC. The distribution of that power to your local neighborhood is taken care of by your existing utility.
Looking at my regular PEPCO electric bill for July, for a total of $961 kWh of electricity, I paid $52.31 for distribution, $111.62 for generation, and $3.38 for transmission, a total of $167.31. Hypothetically, had I switched to a 1-year contract of 100% wind power through wind RECs (at a fixed rate of 0.105 $/kWh), I would have paid $100.91 for generation and transmission, and the existing $52.31 for distribution, a total of $153.22.
Applying these calculations to a 1-year contract, I could have saved about $164 per year! So why wouldn’t anyone want to do this again??? The process to switch is very simple, and you can do it today. You can easily start by getting quotes on the REC rates available to you through certified REC suppliers in the area. Enter your zip code, select “wind services” and request quotes from up to 3 suppliers in your area.
Related posts:
- Going Green & Clean Can Prevent Dirty Mishaps
- MoM’s doing it, So can you.
- What do you know about switching?
- China charges on, topping U.S. in Clean energy investments
- Solar Car Wash in College Park, MD
Tags: RECs, Renewable Energy Credits, wind farms, Wind Power
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010 at 1:19 pm and is filed under Featured Content, Solar Energy, Wind Energy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Clean power for your home or business with RECs
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Going Green. It's for the kids. It's for their future.
The winner of August’s Green Photo of the Month contest is Oleg, all the way from the suburbs of Moscow, Russia! This picture is of Oleg’s son, and it reminds us of why we are doing this. The future of our kids, the future of their generation, that is what’s at stake here. Going green may help us save some money on our overall energy costs now, it may reduce our carbon footprint substantially, but most importantly, it will secure a healthier future for the next generation. And if we want to do what’s best for their tomorrow, we have to be mindful of what we do for ourselves today!
To submit your green photo to Sobuka’s Green Photo of the Month contest, please email it to contest[at]sobuka.com with a brief description of where it was taken, and how it relates to going green.
Also, if you are in the DC/MD/VA area, and you need help with going green, let us know, we’re here to help! If you already have an idea of what you want to do to go green, we have skilled professionals for solar and wind-related services, energy efficiency audits, and green remodeling. Do a quick zipcode search and request FREE quotes for your green project.
No related posts.
Tags: green photo, moscow, photo contest, russia
This entry was posted on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 12:07 pm and is filed under Featured Content, Green Photo of the Month. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
cool.
Sobuka Blog | Clean Energy and Green Tech News & Events | Solar Installations | Wind Energy RECs | Energy Audits | Green Remodeling | Green Financing » Blog Archive » Volunteer at ECOffshoots.org Urban Farm
Are you ready to wake up to a nice Saturday morning, roll your sleeves up, and do some urban farming volunteer work? Join us this Saturday, Sept. 4th, at the ECOffshoots.org urban farm to help these guys out with building this wonderful community farm. We’ll be there from 10am to 1pm, so come through and lend a helping hand, learn what urban farming is all about!
Form more info on ECOffshoots.org’s volunteer session, check out their site.No related posts.
Going Green with Technology Summer Camp Highlights
We want to share with you, our fans, highlights on the Going Green with Technology Summer Camp from the Patriots Technology Center.
From Thurman Jones of the Patriots Technology Training Center:
We wrapped up our summer activities and wanted to share with you our “Going Green with Technology Summer Camp” experience. Our summer camp would not have been a success without the support of our sponsors and partners. To all of them, we would like to say THANK YOU! Our sponsors/partners are as follows:
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy/Melody Bell/ Shawn Mason
- U.S. Department of Energy, Department of the Environment
- Justice, Melinda Downing
- U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Association, Malika Hobbs
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kenneth Johnson
- NAVSEA /Thomas Palathra/Walter Pannick, Heather Zdobysz
- NAVY/LCDR Robin Lemon-Soape Mirant/Misty Allen/Wayne Hale
- Johnson Controls /John Cavanaugh, Janet Hatch, Jenell Brimhall
- Shell Hydrogen, Karen Kruger
- NBC-WRC TV/Mark Whitaker/Enid Doggett
- Clean Air Partners, Jessica Davis
- IT Computer Wiz Kids, Gerard Cooper
- DNA Extraction, Marty Pollock
- U.S. Army, Deanna Tyler
Kickoff Day:
Carti Harris kicked off the camp with instructions on Idvd, Imovie, Keynote, Iphoto, Glogster and online blogging. The campers were exposed to web 2.0 applications. From this exposure the students were able to utilize their acquired skills to enhance educational projects throughout their tenure as students. This knowledge also places them on the cutting edge of technology. The applications that were taught align with the Maryland Multi-Media Interns Technology standards. These tools came in handy when the students prepared for their “Going Green” research projects. Senovia McLaughlin and Janell King, along with four interns, Brandon Joseph, Daniel Cooper, Lance Williams, and Sahara Lindsey assisted in the coordination and implementation of the camp’s activities.
Here is a video from a past event:
NBC Studios Visit:
On their first field trip, the camper visited NBC studios in Washington, D.C. The students were welcomed by Mark Whitaker, Chief of Washington Bureau, NBC News. They then were treated to a behind the scenes look at broadcasting in its finest lead by Phalley Lambert and Alonzo Ray. They were greeted by local celebrities such as Mac McGarry (It’s Academic), news anchors Barbara Hairston, Pat Lawson Muse, and Jim Handly along with weatherman Tom Kieran. The students were escorted to the different control booths and taught some of the logistics of broadcast journalism. They were also made privy to the robotics used to operate the camera and other equipment needed to produce a quality program
The highlight of the trip came when the students were allowed to signoff on air at the end of the 12:00 noon news broadcast. The students were inspired when they were able to see the benefit of pursuing a career in the STEM field up close.
IT Computer Wiz Kids Workshop:
In an IT Computer Wiz Kids workshop lead by Gerard Cooper, students received instructions on building the ultimate gaming computer.
Going Green Research Project:
Research was initiated on the “Going Green Research Project” and captains were selected to head teams that were given “renewable energy sources” on topics such as vehicles, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, environmental justice, and nuclear. These teams developed a list of fascinating questions for the various DOE Program Managers to discuss and answer during a DOE on-site interviewing session coordinated by Shawn Mason of EERE.
Here is a video from a previous event
Shell Hydrogen Visitors Center
The Shell Hydrogen Visitors Center was the destination of the second field trip. The students were given a tour of the facility, a full-service gas station. It is the only one of its kind in our area that provides fuel for hydrogen cars which are not yet for sale to the public. The students learned about hydrogen fuel and the future of our oil supplies and were given a chance to “test ride” in a real hydrogen fuel car prototype from General Motors. To wrap up the day at Shell Hydrogen and what the future holds for the automobile industry, students watched “Back to the Future.”
DNA Lecture
Marty Pollock came to talk about DNA and described in great detail the ins and outs of DNA. He had the students do an experiment to see what actual DNA looks like. Each of the student’s DNA samples were put into test tubes for further examination.
Chalk Point Power Plant
The camp went off to tour the power plant in Chalk Point located in Aquasco, MD. During the tour led by Wayne Hale, the students learned that Mirant Mid-Atlantic, the owners of Chalk Point, burns more than 60 tons of coal in one month. The energy gleaned from burning the coal is enough to supply 20 million homes. The Chalk Point facility is so large that a whole train could sit inside of it. A mention of the underground tunnel that is large enough to house a dump truck should not be left out. One of the things that Mirant is most proud of is the fact that of the 100% of the coal that is burned, 99.4% of the burn off is recaptured as not to harm the environment. It was a great trip and a great experience.
Lego & Balloon: Lego Robots & Water Balloon Launches
Thomas Palathra from the NAVSEA Indian Head Division, provided staffers Walter Pannick and Heather Zdobysz, who instructed our students for a week of building and programming a Lego robot for exciting tech challenges, assembling a rocket, constructing a solar car, and participating in a water balloon and egg drop mission. Of the six competing teams, the Hotmass Team won the robotics competition for completing the most challenges. For the finale of the week’s activities, the students launched their rockets and displayed their projects. To end the wonderful day, the Prince George’s County Fire Department Engine Team #33 came out and assisted our campers in the Egg Drop Competition.
To kick-off the final week of camp, Deanna Tyler of the U.S. Army presented a workshop on solar panels. It was interesting to learn how effective the solar panels assist our troops as they defend our country. With much enthusiasm, campers were challenged to design a more natural way to power the batteries that are used by the soldiers.
Johnson Controls
We were then joined by Johnson Controls. John Cavanaugh of Johnson Controls coordinated Jenell Brimhall and Janet Hatch to facilitate a 3-day training that would certify the students as “Energy Ambassadors.” Johnson Controls is a company whose main objective is to conserve energy and find unconventional ways to create power sources. The students made their own personal wind turbines as a renewable energy source. They also made pizza box ovens designed to cook smores. The process of cooking depended on the construction of the oven and the placement under the sun’s waves. Awards were given for the construction and production of the ovens. By the end of the week, each student had complete knowledge of the renewable energy sources; solar, wind, and geothermal energy.
David Air Partners
Rebecca Davis of Clean Air Partners presented a fun-filled workshop on Air Quality. Ms. Davis provided background information on topics such as: What Makes Up Our Atmosphere, Criteria Pollutants, Air Quality Index, and Respiratory System Effects on Health. Students were split into teams and then played “Air Quality Jeopardy” utilizing the information they obtained on Air Quality. The winners received prizes.
Mini-Green STEM Conference
On our final day of camp, parents, family, friends, and the community were invited to attend a Mini-Green STEM Conference hosted by our campers. It was their time to shine and display all of the exciting projects that they participated in during the summer camp session.
Camp Conclusion
The “Going Green with Technology Summer Camp” was an invaluable experience. It exposed our students to many aspects of renewable energy and how it affects our community, the future, and the power they have to make a positive impact. By the looks on their faces, you can see for yourself that they were “happy campers”.
For more information on the technology summer camp and program, please contact the following:
Thurman D. Jones, Jr.
President
thurmanjones@hotmail.comGloria Shivers
Director of Programs
gloriashivers@hotmail.comJenise Littlejohn
NSBE Jr. Advisor
jeniselittlejohn@hotmail.comDenise Lewis
Director of Strategic Programs and Communications
lewis438@comcast.netMore green info? Also enjoy some very cool videos at sobukaTV for more emerging green news. Sobuka can also help you find a green contractor in your area. Search with your zip code and also find out which rebates you may qualify for in your area.
Related posts:
Tags: Clean Air Partners, DNA Extraction, IT Computer Wiz Kids, Johnson Controls, Justice, NAVSEA, NAVY, nbc, Patriots Technology Center, Shell Hydrogen, US ARMY, US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Energy
This entry was posted on Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 8:21 pm and is filed under Green Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Recycle, Reuse, or Re-purpose your old campaign signs
Sobuka’s Campaign Platform: Let’s Recycle, Reuse or Re-purpose old campaign signs and stop spending money to pollute the environment
If you didn’t know already, this year (2010) is an election year which explains the numerous campaign signs around town and along the highways with names of candidates you never heard of. I know we all can become overly preoccupied with which candidate to vote for, however, we must not forget about the environment. The truth of the matter is, most homeowners who are uninformed will put their campaign signs in one place after the election, “the garbage”. Therefore, Sobuka is encouraging all candidates for political office as well as citizens to recycle campaign signs at the end of the election process instead of tossing them in the garbage.
The important thing is, when we recycle materials such as campaign signs, it keeps waste out of landfills and allows for the reuse of materials. Recycling campaign signs not only saves space at landfills, each ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water. Recycled paper also uses 60 percent less energy in comparison to new paper and generates 95 percent less air pollution.
Now that you are “informed”, I know you’re excited and want to jump into action, so here’s how you can be part of the solution instead of the problem.
What should a person do with a campaign sign after the election is over?
The environmentally friendly thing we all can do with old campaign signs is to RECYCLE, REUSE, or RE-PURPOSE.
Recycle
Broken down corrugated plastic, cardboard signs and metal stakes can be placed into your curbside recycling blue cart. Campaign signs must be free of staples, metal or wood posts and tape.
Small wood stakes can be recycled with green waste in counties that have green carts. Drop off small or large corrugated plastic and cardboard signs at the various Recycling Center that take plastic and cardboard. Wood signs and wood frame/stakes can be recycled at centers that take wood.
If you have wire frames made of steel or aluminum the metal can be recycled. Standard “H” stakes weigh about .43 lbs which is equal to 12 empty aluminum cans.
To find a recycling center in your area please visit Earth911 which is a website where you can search for local recycling centers by entering your zip code. You can also call 1-800-CLEANUP for recycling information in your state.
Reuse or Re-purpose
Old campaign signs can be turned inside out and written on with markers to make new signs for different occasions such as parties, garage sales or you can even make your own sign supporting your church or charity.
Unfortunately, bag signs are not as easy to reuse, but it’s possible. Turn the bag inside out and you can make your new sign. They are a little tricky to write on, but a thick black marker works well. The bag signs can be put into the recycling bins of most municipal collection operations, so that’s another option.
If you have a corrugated plastic campaign sign, you can paint over it next time you have a wet paint roller out to cover up the political information. Then you’ll be able to make it a sale sign or other sign you need in the future.
Metal “H” Stakes are also good for holding up plants. Just step the stake into the ground and you’ve got the support for your plant. They work great for ivy and tomatoes. You can cut the steel wire at the corners and use them in the future. This is very good material, so it shouldn’t be thrown away.
If you’re going to keep the steel wire wickets, they should be properly stored. First, wipe the wicket off with a damp cloth. This will remove dirt that sticks to the wire. Then, store the wire in a place where it won’t get wet. Otherwise, you’ll have a rusty rod that won’t be much good. The steel wickets can also be used to hold up and grow plants as well.
If you don’t find any of these suggestions useful you can always return the campaign sign to the candidate’s office. Political candidates are not going to stop ordering campaign signs; they are a vital part of every good political campaign. But, all that material doesn’t need to be wasted. A quick minute of planning, and you can figure out the best use for your old campaign sign.
Don’t forget to vote on September 14th and Remember
Vote
for the Environment by choosing Sobuka for your green needs !!
More green info? Also enjoy some very cool videos at sobukaTV for more emerging green news. Sobuka can also help you find a green contractor in your area. Search with your zip code and also find out which rebates you may qualify for in your area.
Related posts:
- Earth Day Should Be Every Day!
- ‘Plans on dealing your electro-junk for bucks?
- Green + School Supplies = GreenER Planet!
Tags: how to recycle campaign signs, re-purpose campaign signs, Recycle campaign Signs, Reuse campaign signs
This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 3:18 pm and is filed under Environment, Featured Content. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Sobuka Blog Volunteer at ECOffshoots.org Urban Farm
Are you ready to wake up to a nice Saturday morning, roll your sleeves up, and do some urban farming volunteer work? Join us this Saturday, Sept. 4th, at the ECOffshoots.org urban farm to help these guys out with building this wonderful community farm. We’ll be there from 10am to 1pm, so come through and lend a helping hand, learn what urban farming is all about!
Form more info on ECOffshoots.org’s volunteer session, check out their site.No related posts.
Going Green. It's for the kids.
Going Green. It’s for the kids. It’s for their future.
Posted on September 2nd, 2010 by Daniel
The winner of August’s Green Photo of the Month contest is Oleg, all the way from the suburbs of Moscow, Russia! This picture is of Oleg’s son, and it reminds us of why we are doing this. The future of our kids, the future of their generation, that is what’s at stake here. Going green may help us save some money on our overall energy costs now, it may reduce our carbon footprint substantially, but most importantly, it will secure a healthier future for the next generation. And if we want to do what’s best for their tomorrow, we have to be mindful of what we do for ourselves today!
To submit your green photo to Sobuka’s Green Photo of the Month contest, please email it to contest[at]sobuka.com with a brief description of where it was taken, and how it relates to going green.
Also, if you are in the DC/MD/VA area, and you need help with going green, let us know, we’re here to help! If you already have an idea of what you want to do to go green, we have skilled professionals for solar and wind-related services, energy efficiency audits, and green remodeling. Do a quick zipcode search and request FREE quotes for your green project.
No related posts.
Tags: green photo, moscow, photo contest, russia
This entry was posted on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 12:07 pm and is filed under Featured Content, Green Photo of the Month. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.