Borough of Media Commits to Wind Energy Purchase

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22, 2002

Green Power Marketer Offers Wind Energy Without Increasing Bill for Southeast PA Customers

[Originally from The Energy Cooperative] (Philadelphia, PA) The Energy Cooperative announced a unique wind energy offer today and will congratulate the Borough of Media Wednesday as the first customer at a renewable energy awards luncheon in Philadelphia. The Cooperative’s wind energy offer allows commercial electricity customers to save on their electric bill by switching to the Energy Cooperative and then apply their savings to purchase New Wind Energy™, a product of Pennsylvania-based Community Energy, Inc.

The Borough of Media will announce Wednesday that it will buy from the Energy Cooperative 128,111 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year of New Wind Energy™– enough for 44% of the usage of its Borough Hall and the Highway garage – at no extra cost. Media switched eight of its electricity accounts to the Cooperative and applied the savings to buy the wind energy.

“Businesses and municipalities in southeast Pennsylvania can now buy wind energy for a significant portion of their electric needs with a minimal, or no, increase in their electric bill,” stated Nadia Adawi, the Energy Cooperative’s director of operations. “By switching to us for their electricity supply and applying the savings to purchasing wind power, we can help offset the slightly higher cost to generate wind power. The Energy Cooperative is proud to partner with Community Energy to bring this innovation to our customers,” continued Adawi.

“Media is proud to purchase renewable energy and become one of the leading municipalities taking responsibility for its environment,” stated Peter Alyanakian, borough councilman. “Combined with our state-supported recycling program, this new purchase of wind energy we hope will set an example for community residents and businesses that doing the right thing for the environment doesn’t have to cost any more then making a phone call. Residents and businesses can find out more about purchasing wind energy by going to our web site at www.mediaborough.com,” Alyanakian offered.

Clean Air Council provided technical assistance to the borough during the decision-making process that ultimately led to the wind energy purchase. "Clean Air Council urges everyone to follow the lead of Media and purchase wind energy,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., executive director of the Council. “Wind generation facilities emit no health-threatening pollution, add to the local tax base, and provide much needed revenue for family farmers. The Council applauds the Energy Cooperative and Community Energy for creating more options for customers looking to buy wind energy,” Minott concluded.

The Borough of Media is expected to receive an award recognizing the significance of the borough’s wind energy purchase at Wednesday’s Green Power Awards luncheon sponsored by Penn Future at the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square Hotel in Philadelphia.

"PennFuture is giving a 2002 Green Power Award to the Borough of Media for its clean electricity leadership among municipalities,” said Peter Adels, General Counsel for Penn Future. “While most municipalities continue to buy all of their electricity from coal and nuclear energy, Media has purchased 44% of the electricity for Borough Hall and its highway garage from one of the new Pennsylvania wind farms, and is doing so without paying anything more than before for electricity. By switching to a competitive supplier to save money and investing the savings in clean electricity, Media has pioneered a model that every municipality in southeast Pennsylvania can and should follow."

Brent Alderfer, President of Community Energy, Inc., the supplier of New Wind Energy TM, said, “The more customers that buy wind energy the more wind energy we bring on line. Those purchases directly support a clean, sustainable future and move the country a little bit closer to energy independence.”

The Energy Cooperative is a nonprofit, member-owned cooperative with over 6,500 members throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. Licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission as an electricity supplier, the Cooperative provides low cost and renewable energy products for its customers by combining their buying power. More information is available at www.theenergyco-op.com.

Incorporated in 1850, the Borough of Media is the seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Media is the last suburban town in America with a trolley running down the main street. Located approximately 15 miles west of Philadelphia, Media currently has a population of 5,600.

Community Energy, Inc. (CEI) is the leading marketer of wind-generated electricity, under the New Wind Energy TM brand. CEI customers include the seven largest purchasers of wind-generated electricity in the nation. More information is available at www.newwindenergy.com.

Clean Air Council is a regional environmental group that focuses on clean energy policy in addition to its air pollution and transportation programs. www.cleanair.org

PennFuture works to create a just future where nature, communities and the economy thrive. PennFuture advances effective solutions for the problems of pollution, sprawl and global warming. www.pennfuture.org

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