Competitive Markets and Wind Power are a Great Match
The American Wind Energy Association recently put out a statement supporting competitive wholesale electricity markets. It’s great to see the nation’s premier wind industry association take a positive stand on the kind of market structure we have here in the Mid Atlantic (with the exception of Virginia). Clean Currents supports the rapid deployment of wind energy in our region and the continuation (and growth) of competitive energy markets. Consumers and the environment both benefit from our open markets.
According to a joint AWEA/Compete statement, nearly 80% of U.S. installed wind capacity is located in regions with competitive energy markets, yet these areas only have 44% of U.S. wind energy potential. A competitive energy market is a market where consumers have the ability to choose their electricity supplier. The utilities don’t control the entire chain of production of electricity, from generation through distribution. The opposite, a monopoly market, is where the incumbent utility controls everything and consumers (and generators) have no choice but to go with them. In Maryland, DC, Delaware, and Pennsylvania we are fortunate to have an open, competitive market.
It’s not surprising that a competitive market is better for wind energy development. The incumbent utilities, if they are in a monopoly with no competition, are not the best vehicles to help development alternative energy. They don’t know how to sell or market it, and they are in no rush to invest in it. In short, they are not innovators.
Companies like Clean Currents are constantly thinking of new ways to expand the clean energy market. Given the right market structure, with proper government incentives, we can develop even more wind power in this region. We are excited to be working with Governor O’Malley and other leaders to craft proposals that will bring offshore wind closer to reality. That’s part of our business model – building demand for green power and working on positive environmental legislation. We are going to push a model that will promote more wind power while building on the success of the competitive energy market. The two go hand in hand.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Building Demand for Green from the Ground Up
Clean Currents just wrapped up our first Green Neighborhood Challenge (GNEC) and we’re launching right into GNEC 2 without missing a beat! Our experience and the response we got in GNEC 1 has taught us that we have tapped into something powerful in the public consciousness. People are looking for connections, commitment and financial help for their communities. Clean Currents is looking to build demand for green energy solutions from the ground up. Enter GNEC, which steps into the void left by antiseptic corporate marketing, social disconnect, lack of resources, and lack of meaningful national government action on the biggest environmental challenge of our generation – global climate change. Marketing from the ground up, meeting people where they are rather than where you (the company) are, is the essence of GNEC.
Connections
The premise of GNEC is that Clean Currents provides an organizing tool (wind power for homes and solar), which allows people of various communities to connect with each other, build stronger community bonds, and strengthen community spirit. By “community,” we mean any grouping of people who share a commonality. This could be a neighborhood, a town, a faith institution, a non profit group, a school, a union, a bridge club. In simple terms, we give community leaders something to talk about. In an ideal GNEC situation, there would be multiple social events (especially parties!), outward signs of participations in the community (lawn signs, etc.) and participation by a strong, core group of volunteers. This includes online social media.
Commitment
For GNEC 2 to succeed, we need to build beyond the focus of GNEC 1. We need to continue to push the message about people switching to wind or solar power for their homes. But we also need to translate into actions our words about Clean Currents being “a front door to a sustainable lifestyle.” This means that wind power for homes or solar installation is merely the hook to get people talking about a larger conversation. That larger conversation is centered on the need to reduce our environmental impact, improve the laws in our states and this nation, and changing some of our habits as consumers. Clean Currents is committed to helping pass positive environmental legislation that puts a price on carbon emissions and mandates reductions in greenhouse gases. If you sign up your community for GNEC 2, we are committed to bringing our partners and allies to your community, to help educate people about reducing their environmental impact. This includes recycling, composting, energy efficiency, car sharing, and a host of other ways to lead a more sustainable life. Finally, Clean Currents wants to help consumers learn about the many companies out there that offer green products, and more importantly, that operate as sustainable companies. It’s vital that consumers vote with their wallets by supporting businesses that are doing the right thing.
Financial Help
The financial component of GNEC should not be under valued. Clean Currents is providing real dollars to communities to help them pursue green projects or to support green advocacy/education groups. In GNEC 1, we will be donating more than $15,000 in total. For GNEC 2, we want to double that. Individual consumers should also see financial incentives for participation. Thus, Clean Currents offers reduced prices on solar installations for customers that are already wind powered. It’s kind of like a co-op, where communities band together to achieve better pricing for individual members of the community.
Conclusion
We at Clean Currents are only just scratching the surface on community level marketing right now, but already I can tell there is something powerful there. We are not perfect, and are learning from our mistakes along the way. However, by working with community leaders and getting real feedback from people we can build a powerful community of people, businesses, and other groups working to create demand for clean energy from the ground up.
Clean Currents just wrapped up our first Green Neighborhood Challenge (GNEC) and we’re launching right into GNEC 2 without missing a beat! Our experience and the response we got in GNEC 1 has taught us that we have tapped into something powerful in the public consciousness. People are looking for connections, commitment and financial help for their communities. Clean Currents is looking to build demand for green energy solutions from the ground up. Enter GNEC, which steps into the void left by antiseptic corporate marketing, social disconnect, lack of resources, and lack of meaningful national government action on the biggest environmental challenge of our generation – global climate change. Marketing from the ground up, meeting people where they are rather than where you (the company) are, is the essence of GNEC.
Connections
The premise of GNEC is that Clean Currents provides an organizing tool (wind power for homes and solar), which allows people of various communities to connect with each other, build stronger community bonds, and strengthen community spirit. By “community,” we mean any grouping of people who share a commonality. This could be a neighborhood, a town, a faith institution, a non profit group, a school, a union, a bridge club. In simple terms, we give community leaders something to talk about. In an ideal GNEC situation, there would be multiple social events (especially parties!), outward signs of participations in the community (lawn signs, etc.) and participation by a strong, core group of volunteers. This includes online social media.
Commitment
For GNEC 2 to succeed, we need to build beyond the focus of GNEC 1. We need to continue to push the message about people switching to wind or solar power for their homes. But we also need to translate into actions our words about Clean Currents being “a front door to a sustainable lifestyle.” This means that wind power for homes or solar installation is merely the hook to get people talking about a larger conversation. That larger conversation is centered on the need to reduce our environmental impact, improve the laws in our states and this nation, and changing some of our habits as consumers. Clean Currents is committed to helping pass positive environmental legislation that puts a price on carbon emissions and mandates reductions in greenhouse gases. If you sign up your community for GNEC 2, we are committed to bringing our partners and allies to your community, to help educate people about reducing their environmental impact. This includes recycling, composting, energy efficiency, car sharing, and a host of other ways to lead a more sustainable life. Finally, Clean Currents wants to help consumers learn about the many companies out there that offer green products, and more importantly, that operate as sustainable companies. It’s vital that consumers vote with their wallets by supporting businesses that are doing the right thing.
Financial Help
The financial component of GNEC should not be under valued. Clean Currents is providing real dollars to communities to help them pursue green projects or to support green advocacy/education groups. In GNEC 1, we will be donating more than $15,000 in total. For GNEC 2, we want to double that. Individual consumers should also see financial incentives for participation. Thus, Clean Currents offers reduced prices on solar installations for customers that are already wind powered. It’s kind of like a co-op, where communities band together to achieve better pricing for individual members of the community.
Conclusion
We at Clean Currents are only just scratching the surface on community level marketing right now, but already I can tell there is something powerful there. We are not perfect, and are learning from our mistakes along the way. However, by working with community leaders and getting real feedback from people we can build a powerful community of people, businesses, and other groups working to create demand for clean energy from the ground up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)