Carrollton one of first mid-sized Texas cities with Renewable Energy Credits

by PegNews wire

To level the playing field and encourage broader participation in the REC market, the Cities Aggregation Power Project (CAPP) developed a program enabling small and mid-sized communities to mitigate their carbon footprint.

CARROLLTON — The city of Carrollton has approved purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) through a program provided by the Cities Aggregation Power Project (CAPP), the statewide electricity aggregator for municipal governments. Carrollton is one of the first small or mid-sized Texas cities to acquire RECs.

Since the state initiated its REC program in 2000, only the large cities of Austin, El Paso and Brownsville have purchased the stock-like certificates that fund investments in renewable energy resources, as an offset to electricity produced by natural gas or coal. To level the playing field and encourage broader participation in the REC market, CAPP developed a program enabling small and mid-sized communities to mitigate their carbon footprint.

Through this program, Carrollton is purchasing RECs that offset five percent of its annual electricity demand in 2008. This is in addition to the amount the city will pay for its consumption next year. “The city decided to participate in CAPP’s Renewable Energy Credit program as another venue to promote sustainability,” said Carl Shelton, Facilities Manager with the city of Carrollton. “All communities must reach beyond city limits and other geographical borders to promote renewable environmental resources.”

CAPP initiated the REC purchase program in August at the request of its members, comprised of 101 Texas cities representing more than 3 million Texans. “Most of the Cities Aggregation Power Project member cities are outside the state’s major population centers, but they understand everyone needs to help Texas encourage sustainable, pollution-free energy sources, especially in the deregulated areas of the state,” says Jay Doegey, chairman of CAPP. “Carrollton is among the first to take part in the program, and we expect many other Texas cities to follow its lead.”

CAPP is a non-profit group created in 2001 that pools Texas cities’ electric power needs in order to negotiate lower, more stable prices through bulk purchasing. CAPP has 101 city members that purchase 900 million kWh annually. CAPP is run by a voluntary nine-person CAPP Board of Directors made up of city employees and city officials. CAPP meets once a month.

Source: City of Carrollton