Even leading energy producers like Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) (www.bpa.gov ) need to buy energy to power their office buildings. The organization purchases 12 percent of its total energy needs for its headquarters building from the Blue Sky QS program.

BPA also is the first government agency to adopt the U.S. Department of Energy's mandate to use more renewable energy resources. The 1,103 blocks of 100-kwh wind energy that BPA purchases monthly is enough to provide electricity for 110 average homes. The environmental benefit is significant: over the course of one year, BPA's commitment is equivalent to planting more than 520 acres of trees.

When asked to comment on BPA's participation in the Blue Sky program, BPA's Senior Vice President Terry Esvelt said, "Actions speak louder than words. At BPA, we believe we need to do more than just encourage our customers to purchase renewable resources — we need to lead by example."