Blue Sky Q&A

Where does Blue Sky renewable energy come from?
Will the power to my home be dependent upon the wind blowing?
Will the renewable energy I purchase be delivered to my home?
How are Blue Sky dollars used?
How do I know I'm getting what I pay for?
By buying Blue Sky renewable energy am I really helping make a difference?
Do wind turbines harm birds?
Why does participation in Blue Sky cost more than Basic Service?
Is my renewable energy purchase tax deductible?
If I move, does my Blue Sky enrollment transfer to my new location?
Why should I care about purchasing renewable energy?
What is renewable energy?
Why is renewable energy important?
What are the most common renewable energy sources?
I’m interested in generating my own renewable energy. How do I find out more?
How is renewable energy sold?
Other renewable energy resources

Where does Blue Sky renewable energy come from?
Renewable energy for Blue Sky customers comes from a variety of different sources and locations throughout the Region:

Wind energy
So far, Pacific Power has made purchases from the following facilities on behalf of Blue Sky customers:

Wyoming
- Foote Creek IV Wind Energy Project (Arlington, Wyo., 16.8 megawatts) – Foote Creek IV is located between Laramie and Rawlins in Southwestern Wyoming – one of the windiest places in America with average wind speeds of 25 mph. The facility generates enough clean energy to power 4,292 average homes each year.
- Wyoming Wind Energy Center (Evanston, Wyo., 144 megawatts) As the largest wind energy facility in Wyoming, Pleasant Valley’s 80 turbines can generate enough energy to power about 43,000 homes. The farm’s 1.8 mw wind turbines, which are among the world’s largest, have a rotor diameter of 262 feet and a tower height of 220 feet. The facility is located on ranch land currently used for cattle grazing.
Montana
- Judith Gap Wind (Harlowtown, Mont., 135 megawatts) – The Judith Gap Wind project has been in operation since December 2005. The project includes 90 turbines, which when they are all spinning to capacity will generate 135 megawatts and power 350 to 400 homes per turbine. Each turbine is over 250 feet tall and has three 126-feet long blades. The turbines reach energy producing speed at 7.8 mph. Optimal speed is 33.5 mph.
Oregon
- Condon Wind Project (Gilliam County, Ore., 49.8 megawatts) – The Condon Wind Project has been in operation since the end of 2001. The 83 turbines of the project produce enough energy to meet the needs of 10,513 homes. Farming and grazing continue around the bases of the 274-foot high turbines.
- Klondike Wind Project (Sherman County, Ore., 99 megawatts (includes phases 1 and 2)) – Klondike Wind Project has proven to be such a successful wind farm that it has been home to three different expansions. The first phase of the project came on line in 2001 and consists of sixteen wind turbines that can generate up to 24 megawatts (MW) of electricity. A second phase of an additional 50 turbines, was completed in 2005. The third phase will consist of an additional 122 turbines. Klondike was also the subject of a study on the local economic impacts of wind farms. Read a fact sheet about the results of the study.
- Stateline Energy Center (Umatilla County, Ore. and Walla Walla County, Wash., 300 megawatts) – Stateline Energy Center, so named because it straddles the Oregon and Washington border, is one of the largest producers of wind energy in the world. Large enough to provide power to more than 72,000 homes, Stateline provided 150 jobs during its construction and employs 15 permanent full-time workers in its operation.
Washington
- Nine Canyon (Walla Walla County, Wash., 63.7 megawatts) Blue Sky customers are buying 40,000-megawatt hours of wind power from Washington’s Nine Canyon Wind Project. Located near the Stateline Wind facility on a dry land wheat farm, Nine Canyon is one the largest public power-owned wind projects in the nation. It consists of 49 turbines, each capable of producing 1.3 megawatts of electricity. Blue Sky customers are buying enough clean energy to power 3,300 Pacific Power homes a year. The project even has a letter of support from the lower Columbia Basin Chapter of the Audubon Society, because great lengths were taken to minimize the facility’s impact on birds.
  o Hopkins Ridge (Columbia County, Wash., 149.9 megawatts)Located 15 miles northeast of Dayton, Wash., these 83 Vestas v-80 1.8 MW Turbines can create an average annual output of about 456,000 megawatt hours, sufficient to meet the power needs of 40,000 households.

As the demand grows we will purchase more wind energy from other facilities in the West. Pacific Power renewable purchases are reviewed and endorsed by local leading environmental organizations.

Will the power to my home be dependent upon the wind blowing?
No. Your power will continue to be uninterrupted even when the wind isn’t blowing, because you are connected to the regional electricity system. The power that travels through the network of lines and wires that bring electricity to your home or business comes from a variety of generating sources.

Will the renewable energy I purchase through the Blue Sky program be delivered to my home?
Because of the way the power system works, electricity from a specific facility or source does not flow directly to a specific customer. However, we guarantee that renewable energy in the exact amount you sign up to buy through Blue Sky is supporting generation from newly developed facilities in the Western region, creating measurable environmental benefits. No changes to your home, business or electric meter are required.

How are Blue Sky dollars used?
The additional cost goes directly to buy renewable energy, support new renewable energy development in local communities and to cover the costs of the program. Rocky Mountain Power does not profit from offering Blue Sky to our customers.

How do I know I’m getting what I pay for?
Blue Sky is overseen by the Utah Public Service Commission. The amount you pay goes to buy renewable energy equal to your block purchase, support community based renewable energy development and to cover the costs of the program. Rocky Mountain Power does not profit from offering this option to you. We formally report to the state of Utah how much renewable energy we purchase on behalf of our Blue Sky customers. We also participate in the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS), an independent tracking system that ensures renewable energy purchased for the program is from qualified sources. The Blue Sky program recently won the Green Power Program of the Year award from the U.S. Department of Energy.

By buying Blue Sky renewable energy am I really helping make a difference? Yes. Together, customer purchases, company policies and state regulation are helping encourage renewable energy development. Visit these organizations' sites for more information:

Do wind turbines harm birds?
Today’s new wind turbines do not pose a high risk to birds or any other wildlife. Newer technologies have slower blades that help prevent bird mortality. Sites are generally selected to avoid known migration patterns and reduce contact with endangered birds. Also, turbines are built in such a way to make it difficult for birds to use them for roosting.

Before the approval and construction of existing Blue Sky facilities (Stateline Energy Center, Condon Wind Farm and Klondike Wind Farm) environmental impact studies were completed to identify the potential risk to birds through site analysis. The analysis included assessments of the bird population, timing and migration patterns, and habitat use. We work with environmental groups, regulators and other interested parties when evaluating wind facilities that can help serve our customers needs. See more information.

Why does participation Blue Sky cost more than Basic Service?
Rocky Mountain Power is required by state regulatory commissions to acquire sufficient least-cost resources to meet all our customers’ needs. However, the Company is determined to acquire all the renewable resources it can under these requirements. In the coming years, we plan to add significantly more renewable energy to our resource mix (see our Integrated Resource Plan ). Our Blue Sky program allows you to choose 100 percent renewable energy now and influence future energy production.

Blue Sky customers help increase the amount of renewable energy in the system. Together, Rocky Mountain Power and our customers can spur even more renewable development. Increased demand for renewable energy can also help lower prices, which enables even more renewable energy to be added to the western power system.

Is my renewable energy purchase tax deductible?
No. The actual dollars spent on renewable energy are not tax deductible. See more information on local, state and federal tax incentives that help promote renewable energy.

If I move, does my Blue Sky enrollment transfer to my new location?
Yes. If you sign up for Blue Sky and move within Rocky Mountain Power's service area, you will automatically continue with Blue Sky. There's no need to sign up for Blue Sky again when you sign up for electric service at your new home or business. If you'd like to cancel your enrollment for any reason, you can do so by calling us at 1-800-769-3717.

Why should I care about purchasing renewable energy?
Renewable energy has a much lower impact on the environment than traditional methods of electricity generation. It produces lower levels of air pollutants, waste water, smog and acid rain, and it can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy can be replenished and often comes from local sources, which can provide additional employment. More specifically, purchasing renewable energy helps:

lower our region’s dependence on fossil fuels, so our energy supply becomes more self-sufficient
improve air quality
protect human health
encourage development of renewable energy sources in our region
preserve the environment and conserve resources for future generations

What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is electricity that is produced from sources that replenish themselves naturally such as wind, sunlight (solar), landfill and agricultural waste (biomass), and the heat of the earth (geothermal). These renewable sources have less impact on the environment than traditional methods of electricity generation, which includes burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Natural gas and coal, for example, are not renewable because their use consumes gas and coal reserves at a much quicker rate than they are replenished.

Why is renewable energy important?
Renewable energy produces lower levels of air pollutants, wastewater, smog and acid rain, and it can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By purchasing renewable energy, you can help protect the environment by offsetting the need for more fossil fuel generation. In addition, renewable energy can help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

What are the most common renewable energy sources?
Wind – Electricity is generated when the wind blows strong enough to spin turbines (windmills) mounted on tall towers. Wind is now the fastest-growing renewable energy resource in the world, and it is pollution free. Wind-generated electricity does not create smog, acid rain or other forms of air and water pollution. Wind power does not contribute to global warming.

Wind is economical in locations where the average wind speed is at least 14 mph. Although a single wind turbine can produce a usable amount of electricity, most wind power is produced at wind farms where large turbines are grouped together at a site.

Wind turbines on wind farms typically occupy only five percent of the land, leaving the rest compatible with other uses such as farming, grazing and ranching. Estimates indicate that wind power technology could supply about 20 percent of the electricity needed for the U.S., if fully developed.

Wind farms can increase the tax base of rural counties where they are located. Ranchers and farmers who own land with wind farms can receive a long-term source of income, in addition to generating construction jobs and administrative positions. See more information.

Solar– Sunlight can be converted to electricity directly through photovoltaic (PV) applications, which are semiconductors that directly generate electricity. It can be converted indirectly with solar thermal applications, which use the sun to create steam to turn a turbine or generator.

Biomass – Biomass facilities burn plants and organic matter such as wood, agricultural wastes and/or methane gases from landfills to spin a turbine that generates electricity. Landfill gas is one of the most widely used forms of biomass generation. At biomass facilities, gases from decomposing organic matter are collected and burned to generate electricity. While biomass-based generation is not entirely pollution free, it does not contribute to global warming.

Low-Impact Hydro – Hydropower plants use river flows to spin turbines to create electricity, without emitting air pollution. Judging the way a hydroelectric dam impacts a river is important in determining whether it qualifies as a "renewable" source of power. High-impact hydro projects cause concern because dams can change natural river flows, degrade water quality and block fish migration. The size of the dam is not the only criteria for judging high vs. low impact. Mitigation measures such as fish ladders that protect spawning, and location, are considerations.

Geothermal – Energy is generated by tapping into hot steam that lies beneath the earth’s surface and converting it into electricity. It is the same kind of heat that is observable in volcanic activity and geysers. Geothermal plants emit very little air pollution and have minimal impacts on the environment. Visit the Renewable Energy Policy Project or the Environmental Protection Agency for more information.

I’m interested in generating my own renewable energy. How do I find out more?
Our net metering option allows customers to generate all or a portion of their electricity needs through small scale renewable energy generating equipment.

How is renewable energy sold?
Renewable energy can be purchased as bundled, with the energy commodity and the corresponding green power attribute combined, or as separate components.

First, there is the energy commodity. This is the actual electricity produced at facilities that generate the renewable electricity. The electricity generated is sold as conventional/generic (market) power stripped of its environmental attributes. No environmental claims can be made on this power, because it is separate from the associated green tag that represents the environmental attributes.

Second, there are tradable renewable credits (green tags) that verify the sources of green energy production. A green tag represents the environmental attributes (benefits) associated with generation by renewable technologies like wind and solar energy, and represents a certain number of renewable energy kilowatt-hours. Because the renewable power must be generated to produce a green tag, customers who purchase green tags are reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the system, thereby helping to reduce the overall amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Other information on renewable energy generation
Separate from Blue Sky, we also offer customers a net metering option. This is for customers interested in generating all or a portion of their electricity needs from small-scale solar, wind or other renewable generating equipment. A net meter measures the difference between the electricity a customer buys from a utility and the electricity they produce themselves. We also offer more information on photovoltaic (solar energy).

Our future plans include adding even more renewable energy to the power system. Our Integrated Resource Plan calls for adding 2,000 megawatts of new renewable energy to the power system in the next 10 years. This is enough energy to power 409,000 typical households with electricity for one year.

Other renewable sources:

Blue Sky is a registered service mark of Rocky Mountain Power. Renewable Energy Certificates (e.g., credits, green tags, certificates and etcetera) represent all of the regional and global environmental and emissions benefits associated with one megawatt-hour of output from a qualifying renewable electricity generating resource. In some markets, the certificates are certified by an independent third party and include a serial number for tracking purposes.