Developing climate-change policy will alter the way we
think about electricity, plain and simple. Electric co-ops are working to
make sure these new policies are fair to everyone, while minimizing the
impact on your electric bill. And we�re already making investments in energy
efficiency and renewable, �clean and green� generation as a part of these
efforts.
Across the nation, co-ops are developing innovative ways
to generate electricity from renewable sources, and developing technology to
reduce carbon dioxide emissions from traditional fossil fuels like coal and
natural gas.
And renewable sources of power, which account for 11
percent of all co-op electricity, are as unique and varied as the co-ops
using them. In the Southeast, biomass generation � using everything from
peanut shells to chicken waste to make electricity � shows great potential.
The Northwest remains awash in hydro and wave power; the Midwest boasts lots
of wind; and the Southwest sees so few cloudy days that solar power becomes
an easy sell.
Of course, the cheapest and cleanest power remains the
power that�s never generated. As a result, energy-efficiency education
remains at the forefront of electric cooperative efforts to help consumers
control costs. The vast majority of all electric co-ops, a full 92 percent,
sponsor energy- efficiency education programs, and 77 percent offer
residential energy audits to their members.
Electric
co-ops are hard at work keeping electricity reliable, safe, and affordable �
and we can produce it cleaner, too. But we need Congress to make sure
electric bills stay affordable. You can help out in this effort by asking
your U.S. representative and senators to work with
co-ops on affordability concerns as they hash out
climate-change legislation. Please join the conversation today by visiting
www.ourenergy.coop.
