Green Mountain Power Breezes Past Ambitious Solar Goal

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.easyir.com/easyir/prssrel.do?easyirid=B171E2284127BC0E&version=live&prid=816865&releasejsp=release_13

Green Mountain Power Breezes Past Ambitious Solar Goal

COLCHESTER, VT -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 11/02/2011 -- 1,000 days ago, Green Mountain Power (GMP) announced an ambitious goal to install and help its customers install 10,000 solar panels in 1,000 days. GMP announced today that it has exceeded that goal with more than 26,000 panels installed or approved for installation within its service territory.

"Our customers clearly want more solar, and we are determined to help provide it," says Mary Powell, the company's President and CEO. "Local distributed generation from renewable energy has economic and environmental benefits for our customers and for Vermont. In-state development of renewable energy promotes the green economy, creating jobs, and enhancing Vermont's energy independence."

GMP-owned solar projects include 952 panels in Berlin, 616 panels on the roof of the company's Montpelier headquarters, and 308 panels at its Westminster Service Center. The company has also partnered with its customers to build 530 panels in a "solar orchard" at Shelburne Farms, 412 solar panels at National Life Group, and 345 panels at Camels Hump Middle School. The electric vehicle charging stations at the company's Colchester offices are solar powered, and the three public charging stations at St. Michael's College, Healthy Living Market on Dorset Street, and in downtown Montpelier will also use the sun to generate electricity.

Green Mountain Power set the stage for increasing the adoption of solar energy by customers through its SolarGMP initiative, which was approved by the Public Service Board in July 2008. SolarGMP pays customers six cents per kilowatthour for all the solar energy they produce. GMP would rather pay its customers to produce solar power, especially during peak demand times, rather than buy expensive power from out of state.

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[AtheistCrusader]

1. Very cool

[wtmusic]

2. Democratic Underground Spots “Cronyism” in Shumlin’s Energy Plan

You bet I-er, they do:

"I got an e-mail last night that provided a bit of a surprise. Apparently “Democratic Underground“, a left left wing site that supports the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party, does not like what it considers cronyism in Shumlin’s effort to: “fill energy gap left by Vermont Yankee“. They start of by quoting a recent article by Meredith Angwin:

'The Vermont Department of Public Service (DPS) has issued a draft Comprehensive Energy Plan for Vermont, and they have opened it for public comment. This document covers all types of energy use in Vermont: home heating, transportation, electricity. It is the document Governor Shumlin wanted: Vermont without Vermont Yankee. Now the DPS is asking for public comments on the document.'

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"(Mary) Powell chaired Shumlin’s inaugural ball that raised nearly $190,000 from private and corporate sponsors; she also attended the $5000-per-plate presidential fundraiser last week on Burlington’s waterfront. In other words, she’s a political player."

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DU concludes with the following: 'Less than a week later Gaz Métro got their wish – on July 11 they bought CVPS and became the biggest energy player in the state. Now that big whooshing sound you hear ain’t wind turbines – it’s gas flowing in from Canada and money and jobs flowing out of Vermont. It’s money filling deep pockets faster than CO2 can blow from a smokestack'."

http://truenorthreports.com/democratic-underground-spots-cronyism-in-shumlins-energy-plan

Selling out the environment ain't any prettier when a Democrat does it.