Utah Power introduced a new version of its Blue Sky renewable power option for business customers today, one that encourages larger purchases of clean power for less cost.

Blue Sky QS (quantity savings) allows Utah Power’s commercial customers to buy renewable power for less, providing they purchase at least 101 blocks of Blue Sky per month for a year. Blue Sky is sold in 100-kilowatt increments called “blocks.”

“More companies are recognizing that buying renewable energy is good for the environment and good for business,” said Lucky Morse, Utah Power’s director of customer accounts. “Buying renewable energy can provide community, social and environmental benefits – as well as help businesses meet sustainability goals or greenhouse gas reduction targets.”

Under Blue Sky QS, the per-block cost is based on a sliding scale, so the more a customer purchases, the less it costs per block. For example, a commercial customer buying 150 blocks per month will pay $1.53 per block or $230 per month. A customer who buys 300 blocks per month will pay $1.12 per block or $335 per month. Again, there is a one-year commitment for participation.

 “Blue Sky and Blue Sky QS are the two ways customers can participate,” explained Morse. “Blue Sky QS offers our business customers another way to make a meaningful environmental contribution.”

Even the minimum Blue Sky QS purchase has significant environmental benefits: Buying 101 blocks of Blue Sky per month for a year offsets 121 tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to taking 21 cars off the road for a year or planting 48 acres of trees. 

The “traditional” Blue Sky option remains the same: businesses and residential customers can purchase as many blocks of Blue Sky as they wish for $1.95 each, in addition to their regular monthly bill. Under this standard option, customers may enroll or withdraw whenever they wish.

Most of Blue Sky comes from wind power. Wind is an attractive form of energy generation because it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind produces no air pollutants, wastewater, smog or acid rain. Just one block of Blue Sky has the same environmental benefit of either not driving 2,500 miles or planting a half acre of trees.

To calculate the cost of buying Blue Sky QS, commercial customers can consult Utah Power’s online calculator and enrollment information at  www.utahpower.net/bluesky . For information or assistance, call Utah Power at 1-800-842-8458.