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Santa Clara Green Power FAQ

What is Santa Clara Green Power?

Santa Clara Green Power is a new program from Silicon Valley Power that offers you the choice of 100 percent renewable energy at some of the lowest rates in the nation. You can now choose to clean the air and help promote a healthier environment.

When you enroll, you are choosing to have the amount of energy you use each month to be generated from new, efficient and environmentally friendly wind generators and solar panel installations. You will be supporting major new wind farms in western states and solar installations in California.

You will also be supporting the Neighborhood Solar program, which is building solar electric systems at schools and non-profit facilities right here in Santa Clara.

Who is eligible for Santa Clara Green Power?

Any SVP customer who lives in a house, apartment, condominium or other dwelling having a separate meter and receiving power from SVP is eligible. Small commercial and large industrial customers are also eligible for participation.

How much does participation cost?

For residential and small commercial customers, participating in this program costs only an extra 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour or fifteen dollars per megawatt hour for 100 percent of your energy usage. For the average resident in Santa Clara who uses 500 kilowatt hours per month he/she will see an increase in their bill of about $7.50 per month.

Large commercial and industrial customers can purchase 1,000 kWh blocks for fifteeen dollars per block and can purchase one to as many blocks as desired. Volume discounts are available for purchases over 3,216 megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year.

How will I be billed?

Your purchase of renewable energy will appear on your regular utility bill. You will only need to write one check. You may cancel at any time.

Will the renewable energy go into my home?

It isn't practical to generate renewable energy at one point and keep it separated until it reaches your home. However, through our special arrangement with local and regional renewable energy providers, SVP can purchase enough renewable energy “credits” or “certificates” to match your usage every month.

Individually and collectively, these special purchases support the production of renewable energy, increase the financial value of power from renewal sources, and creates a transparent and sustainable market that encourages new development of wind and solar.

What are Renewable Energy Credits?

Electricity from a renewable source is indistinguishable from the electricity produced by other sources with some big exceptions—it does not pollute the air, consume natural resources or emit greenhouse gases. There is value in avoiding these impacts. Companies who produce energy without these environmental impacts receive this value by earning certificates for each megawatt-hour they produce—Renewable Energy Certificates.

When you sign up for Santa Clara Green Power, SVP contracts with certain renewable energy producers to buy enough certificates to match your consumption every month. When these producers are able to sell their renewable energy certificates through us to you, their product is valued higher and financially encourages and enables producers to build more.

Unlike electricity itself, renewable energy certificates can be stored up so you can buy solar energy when the sun is down and wind power when the air is calm—a wind-win-win situation for everyone.

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.

Do windmills harm birds and other wildlife?

No. Your power does not come from the wind turbines at Altamont Pass, which have been the subject of recent controversy regarding wildlife issues. Santa Clara Green Power comes from modern wind turbines, where bird deaths are infrequent due to three changes that have taken place.

  1. Prospective sites for wind farms are carefully evaluated to ensure they do not fall in migration routes
  2. Turbine blades are much larger and move more slowly
  3. Modern turbines are built in such a way as to prevent nesting in turbine ballasts

A recent large-scale study found that only 1.7 birds were killed annually by each turbine at the Stateline facility, a large wind facility in Oregon, and that none of these birds were on any federal or state endangered species lists.

Does the power come from new sources?

All of the renewable energy supported by the program comes from sources in western states. The solar power will be derived from new solar generation facilities within California, including several facilities within the City of Santa Clara including two projects in Santa Clara (Haman Elementary School and Valley Village Retirement Community). Santa Clara Green Power is Green-e Energy certified. For more information, please visit Green-e.org.

Read the details in our Santa Clara Green Power Content Label (PDF: 88.8k).

What benefits do Santa Clara Green Power participants receive?

After signing up, participants will receive a “Welcome Kit,” which includes a window decal, a refrigerator magnet, and certification of their contribution to the environment. Participants will also receive a periodic Santa Clara Green Power e-newsletter and additional materials.

How can I sign up?

There are three ways to enroll.

  1. You can enroll online by sending an email to green@siliconvalleypower.com or sign up on our secure website
  2. You can call 408-244-SAVE (7283)
  3. You can fill out and mail in one of our bill inserts in your utility bill or brochures found throughout the community, or download the enrollment form (PDF: 39.3K)

Commercial and Industrial customers should contact their key account reps.

Who is SVP's Santa Clara Green Power partner?

3Degrees, Inc. is a California-based renewable energy company that helps develop the marketing of Santa Clara Green Power and manage the renewable energy purchases. In operation in California since 1994, 3Degrees' services include green pricing program design and implementation, retail and wholesale marketing of tradable renewable certificates (Green Certificates), 100 percent renewable electricity direct access services (as a registered electricity service provider in California), and solar photovoltaic installation. For more information go to their website.

What businesses are supporting renewable energy?

The following businesses are enrolled.

 

 

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