Special Anniversary Edition!

The Maine Green Power Connection is a year old this month. We want to report on that first year. How is this "collaborative green power market development program" actually working? Are we making progress on clean air? Are we speeding the shift to renewable electricity? In this special issue, we report good news, across the board. Let us know what you think!

Erika Morgan, Program Manager
Maine Green Power Connection

Mainers Buy More Than 30,000,000 Kilowatt-hours of Green Power During Connection's First Year

Clean, green electricity became a market force in 2003. In the first year of the Maine Green Power Connection's existence, Maine individuals and organizations purchased over 30 million kilowatt-hours of "green" electricity from renewable sources

If these purchases had come from the standard offer mix of power sources (facilities burning coal, oil and natural gas), Maine's air - and the people who breathe it-- would have suffered. The same amount of Standard Offer electricity would have emitted over 23 million pounds of global-warming carbon dioxide, 54 thousand pounds of acidic nitrogen oxide and 78,000 pounds of smog-forming sulfur dioxide-roughly the pollution equivalent of 3,000 cars on Maine's highways.

This year promises equally impressive expansion for Maine's green electricity marketplace:

• More buyers - Over sixty Maine businesses and organizations have purchased green power since the option became available. Sixty-one are listed on the Connection's website. Many are also featured in MeGPC's searchable Directory. Looking for a green-powered bed-and-breakfast or lamp repair shop? Our Directory of "Connected Companies" can find one for you.

• Larger buyers - Institutions have led the green power parade. MeGPC Partners York Hospital, Colby College and Unity College all announced significant green power purchases during the year. Interface Fabrics, which helped launch the Connection in March 2003 with the purchase of 2.5 million kilowatt-hours for 2003, has committed to continuing that purchase throughout the next 5 years.

• More Products - Any Maine resident can buy green power. The choices of available green power products continue to grow. The Connection's Green Power Menu was launched in September '03 with six different products - starting today, 15 are listed.

• More Kilowatt-hours sold - Most of today's green power customers have purchased under multi-year contracts. Counting only those green power purchases already committed, more than 50 million kilowatt hours of green electricity will be sold in Maine during the Connection's second year of operation.

• Cleaner Air - If the green power sold in Maine in 2003 was the pollution equivalent of removing 3,000 cars from Maine's roads, next year's green power sales -based only on contracts already in hand - could be the equivalent of removing over 5,000 cars! Every new green power purchase moves Maine closer to clean air.

Electricity doesn't have to pollute. Green, environmentally friendly electricity is available in Maine, today. It is ready to power homes and businesses. Clean up the air you breathe -- buy green power and join the growing number of Mainers who do, too.

Maine Green Power Connection Announces Campaign to Recognize Green Power Purchasers

All green power purchasers should be recognized, for their business savvy as well as their actions on behalf of the future environment. Today, the Connection launches several new steps to introduce green electricity to a wider audience.

• Over the airwaves - Every Thursday for the next 13 weeks, listen for our sponsorship of Maine Public Radio's "All Things/Maine Things Considered." In conjunction with our new partner, The Green Store in Belfast, MeGPC will also be mentioned over WERU in Ellsworth.

• In print - See our ad in each issue of MaineBiz, the statewide business magazine. Other green-powered businesses like Women of Substance have mentioned green power and MeGPC in their print advertising.

• Through our Partners - Six leading Maine organizations have joined MeGPC's 25 founding partners (see next article). All will help spread the word through their own outreach efforts, whether to members, customers, visitors, or vendors. MeGPC's Partners are a major part of our success-each one expands our collective reach.

• Through our Green-Powered Directory - Maybe you're in the market for new clothes or a wonderful weekend at a B&B. Or maybe you need a lamp repaired or a picture framed. Of course there are businesses in Maine doing all those things, but did you know that some of them also care enough to buy green power? Locate them through the Connection's new "Green Powered Directory". Patronize these businesses -- show you appreciate their investment in Maine's future.

Six New Partners Join the Connection

The Connection relies on all its Partners to help get the word out about green power. We are very pleased to announce that the following organizations have joined with us because they, too, care about Maine's environmental future. Please join us in thanking:

• The Green Store - With locations in Belfast and Damariscotta, the Green Store is a general store for the 21st century, offering a full range of products and information for an environmentally sustainable lifestyle.

• Environment Maine - Environment Maine is a statewide membership organization based in Portland, focusing on environmental issues like clean energy, clean air and toxics reduction.

• Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility - MeBSR was founded in 1993 on the premise that profitability and social responsibility represent a "dual bottom line" for success.

• Maine Public Health Association - MPHA represents Maine's public health industry, the front lines of Maine's local health care community. MPHA works closely with the Healthy Community Partnerships on smoking cessation, obesity and other public health concerns.

• Maple Hill Farm B&B Inn and Conference Center - Maple Hill Farm is an all-purpose B&B and conference center, located in Hallowell. It has recently installed a wind turbine on Maple Hill and invites all to visit.

• York Hospital - York Hospital, in York, has been called "Maine's Most Caring Hospital" by Downeast Magazine, and surely this shows in its commitment to cleaning Maine's air.

Green, renewable electricity is ready for the job of powering Maine," said Erika Morgan, program manager for the Maine Green Power Connection. "With new products and new production facilities, plus the renewables Maine already has, we can replace a significant amount of the dirty power coming to Maine". Now, by combining our purchasing power and our outreach strength, we are starting to make a real difference.

The free Maine Green Power Connection Newsletter is published quarterly via email by the Maine Energy Investment Corporation. To subscribe, send an email message to the "newsletter" email box @MaineGreenPower.org.