Montgomery County Announces 100% Wind Power Purchase

Green Power Commitment is First of its Kind in the Country

(Norristown, PA) – The Montgomery County commissioners today announced a wind energy purchase that will power all county electrical accounts with emission-free, renewable power. The purchase ranks among the top 10 largest green power commitments by a governmental body in the country, and is the first 100% wind powered county, according the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Flanked by a large replica of a modern wind turbine on the steps of the County Courthouse, Commissioner James R. Matthews said, "Montgomery County continues to tackle the very serious threat of climate change. Eliminating the County’s greenhouse gas emissions from our electricity use sets a positive example that not only benefits our residents, but serves as a blueprint for other counties and towns to follow."

This commitment dovetails with the efforts of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Task Force, which the County Commissioners created earlier this year and charged with finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and energy independence in Montgomery County.

The county will purchase over 29 million kilowatt hours of wind energy credits for all of its facilities, which is approximately equal to the electricity consumption of 2,700 typical homes, or equal to the output of over seven modern 380 foot tall wind turbines. As importantly, it will spur investment in additional wind-generated power sources and help the nation increase its homegrown energy supply.

The county will join Upper Dublin Township and the Borough of Bridgeport as wind energy purchasers, along with over 7,300 county residents and 115 area organizations and businesses that buy wind through the local PECO Wind program, including LaSalle High School and the Elmwood Park Zoo. PECO and Community Energy, a wind energy marketer and developer, partnered with Montgomery County on this purchase.

"I want to thank Commissioner James Matthews and Commissioner Thomas Ellis for thinking green and choosing wind generated electricity," said Denis O’Brien, President and CEO of PECO. "At PECO, we too choose wind to power 10 percent of the energy needs for our headquarters in Philadelphia. The commissioners join more than 37,000 PECO Wind customers in the region, making PECO Wind one of the fastest growing green power programs in the Country."

"This landmark purchase sets Montgomery County apart as a national leader and sends a message that thriving industry and care for the environment can go hand-in-hand, " said Brent Alderfer, President of Community Energy, Inc. "Supporting homegrown wind power creates environmental and economic benefits right here in Pennsylvania, and we hope the County’s commitment will spur others to follow their lead."

The environmental benefit of this purchase from emission-free wind energy when compared to conventional sources of electricity is estimated to equal the planting of over 16,000 acres of trees or taking over 3,700 cars off the road.