Frequently Asked Questions
Please see more information about renewable energy and our Blue SkySM program below. Get additional information about your state and the program for businesses as well.
To learn more, click on any question below; click on it again to "close" it.
Learn more about the Blue Sky program
- What is renewable energy and why is it important?
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Renewable energy generates electricity with little or no emissions by effectively using resources that can replenish themselves naturally – in other words, they won’t run out. The natural resources that are used in the Blue Sky program include wind and solar. Another category of renewable energy is biomass. Biomass includes organic matter and other wastes used to generate electricity. Common sources of biomass electricity supported by the Blue Sky program include burning both sawdust at lumber mills and methane produced at landfills.
Renewable energy is important for many reasons, including:- Less impact on the environment than non-renewable sources
- Lower levels of air pollutants and wastewater
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduced reliance on imported and domestic fossil fuels
- Boost to local economies through job creation and investments in local renewable energy projects
- How does Blue Sky work?
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When you enroll in Blue Sky, Pacific Power purchases certified renewable energy certificates from regional renewable energy facilities on your behalf. This guarantees that electricity from wind, solar and biomass facilities is delivered to the regional power system. Electricity from renewable energy facilities replaces and reduces the need for electricity generated from non-renewable sources like fossil fuels, creating measurable environmental benefits.
- What are the benefits to signing up for Blue Sky?
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In addition to helping to build demand for renewable energy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, supporting the construction of renewable energy projects and helping to restore and preserve native fish habitat you will receive the following:
- two online program newsletters per year (Forecast)
- an annual report each January
- a window cling to show your support
- access to coupons from local restaurants and other businesses
- free renewable energy e-cards to tell a friend about the program
- By supporting Blue Sky am I really making a difference?
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Yes. Enrolling in Blue Sky will have environmental benefits – to see how much, use our environmental benefits calculator. There are currently more than 69,000 customers participating in the Blue Sky program across the company’s service area making a real difference. In 2008, Blue Sky customers supported renewable energy equivalent to 490 million kilowatt-hours – the output of 107 utility-scale wind turbines over a 12-month period.
By making a choice to enroll in the Blue Sky renewable energy program, customers are not only helping to grow the renewable energy supply, they also are advancing the construction of new smaller-scale, community-based projects that might not otherwise be built. Several projects have been completed and a number of others are being developed.
Together, with voluntary customer purchases, company policies and state regulations we are helping to encourage the development of new renewable energy facilities and reduce the need for other, non-renewable sources of energy.
Blue Sky purchases help increase demand for renewable energy generation. - How much of an impact can I make?
- Where is the renewable energy for the Blue Sky program generated?
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Renewable energy associated with the Blue Sky Block program comes from newly developed regional wind sources with preference given to resources within the Pacific Power/Rocky Mountain Power six state service area, but can extend throughout the western region.
Renewable energy associated with the Blue Sky Usage and Habitat options comes from a blend of sources with the majority usually coming from wind. Other sources may include biomass, solar, certified low-impact hydro or geothermal. Preference is given to resources within Oregon or the western region of the US, but a minority of the renewable energy may come from wind farms that are located to the west of the Mississippi River.
To date customers have supported renewable energy generation located in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Their Blue Sky purchases help increase demand for renewable energy generation. - If I move, does the Blue Sky enrollment transfer to my new location?
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Yes. If you sign up for Blue Sky and move within Pacific Power's service area, you will automatically continue with Blue Sky. There's no need to sign up for Blue Sky again when you sign up for electric service at your new home or business.
- How do I sign up?
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Sign up now or call us toll free at 1-800-769-3717.
Cost related answers
- How much does Blue Sky cost?
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In Oregon, Pacific Power customers have three options when choosing to support renewable energy.
Blue Sky Block (available in all Pacific Power states) costs an additional $1.95 per 100 kilowatt-hour block purchased and doesn’t fluctuate from month to month with your usage.To calculate what your expected costs would be, please visit our online calculator.
- Where does my money go?
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Funds received from participating customers are used to purchase renewable energy credits from regional renewable energy facilities equal to the Blue Sky purchase, to grow the support for renewable energy through customer education and outreach efforts and to cover the costs of offering the program. We are required by regulations to allocate the costs associated with the Blue Sky program to customers who choose to participate, and we do not make a profit by offering this option to customers.
Money from the Blue Sky Block option also can be used to create funding awards for renewable energy projects throughout the company's service territory to help advance renewable energy technology. These projects have included solar arrays, wind projects, a geothermal demonstration project and wave energy research.
- How do I know I am getting what I pay for?
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The Blue Sky program is overseen by your state’s public utility commission, regional advisory groups.
Blue Sky has achieved Green-e EnergyTM Certification from the Center for Resource Solutions. The Green-e Energy program requires an annual third-party verification process audit.
- Why does Blue Sky cost more than basic service?
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The Blue Sky program offers customers the opportunity to support the increased use of renewable energy above the amount that Pacific Power already generates or purchases on behalf of all its customers. Blue Sky provides an option for those who want to do even more to encourage additional renewable development – all for as little as $1.95 extra per month.
Pacific Power and renewable energy
- Why does Pacific Power offer renewable energy options?
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The desire to give customers an opportunity to support renewable energy development above what Pacific Power is already generating, the importance of developing the regional economy, and Pacific Power’s commitment to expanding the use of renewable resources have all contributed to the existence of the Blue Sky program.
- What is Pacific Power doing to bring more renewable energy to the region?
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In total, PacifiCorp’s (Pacific Power’s parent company) renewable resource portfolio, both owned and purchased, has increased by more than 1,290 megawatts since 2003, not counting purchases from facilities where PacifiCorp doesn’t also own the Renewable Energy Credits.
Our plans call for adding more than 300 megawatts of wind generation capability to the company’s portfolio by the end of 2010.
Our diverse resource mix contains generation capability from wind-powered resources (owned and contracted) equivalent to the electricity used by more than 375,000 average residential customers annually.
Quick facts about renewable energy
- If I choose a renewable energy option, will I actually receive electricity from renewable energy generation sources?
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Because of the way the power system works, electricity from a specific facility or source does not flow directly to a specific customer. However, we guarantee that renewable energy in the exact amount you sign up to buy through Blue Sky is purchased on your behalf from newly developed facilities in the western United States. This creates measurable environmental benefits and hastens renewable energy development. These purchases of renewable energy credits are in addition to the renewable energy Pacific Power already generates.
- What is a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or green tag?
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Renewable energy certificates (RECs), also known as “green tags,” are proof that 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of renewable energy was generated and delivered to the regional power pool, and they represent the environmental attributes of the power produced from renewable energy projects. RECs are sold separately from the electricity commodity.
For every unit of renewable energy generated and delivered to the regional power pool, an equivalent amount of renewable energy certificates (RECs) are created representing a tracking mechanism to insure that no two customers pay for the same unit of renewable energy generation. When you sign up for Blue Sky, Pacific Power contracts for RECs to match the equivalent of your ongoing electrical needs or the number of Blue Sky blocks you elect to purchase. Thus, the more RECs that are sold, the more demand is created for renewable power. As renewable facilities sell out their RECs, demand shifts to bring more renewable energy sources on-line.
New renewable energy sources are being constructed across the United States to meet the demand created for renewable energy. Your purchase of RECs benefits the environment by encouraging greater renewable energy generation and displacing non-renewable generation from the electricity system. - What are Renewable Portfolio Standards?
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To promote the development of new renewable resources and decrease reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation, Oregon, California and Washington have all passed a laws to create a renewable portfolio standard (RPS).
These laws established that Pacific Power and other large utilities would increase development and use of renewable energy sources. The RPS requirements for each state vary and are listed below.
These goals do not include the renewable energy certificates purchased on behalf of our voluntary Blue Sky renewable energy program and Blue Sky customers. The renewable energy supported by Blue Sky customers is above and beyond that which Pacific Power purchases to meet their RPS.State Amount Year Organization administering RPS CA 33% 2030 California Energy Commission OR 25% 2025 Oregon Energy Office WA 15% 2020 Washington Secretary of State
- What is certified low-impact hydro (LIH)?
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Hydropower uses the flow of water to generate electricity. It produces no emissions, unlike conventional electricity sources. Certified low-impact hydro harnesses all of the benefits of hydropower while meeting more stringent environmental requirements — creating electricity with no green house gas emissions and minimal environmental impacts.
In order to be considered for the Blue Sky program, a hydro project must be certified by the Low Impact Hydro Institute (LIHI).
Low-impact hydro is different from regular dams — here’s how. While hydropower produces no emissions in the creation of electricity, dams can cause other environmental and social problems. Certified low impact hydro projects, however, are required to meet high but achievable standards to minimize environmental and social impacts.Specifically, a project must meet criteria related to:
- river flow
- water quality
- fish passage and protection
- watersheds
- threatened and endangered species
- cultural resources,
- public access/recreation, and
- finally, a project cannot have been recommended for removal
The low impact hydro certification criteria are aimed at ensuring that the certified dam or run-of-the–river project adequately protects or mitigates its impacts on the environment and society.
Low-impact hydro project certification
The organization that certifies low-impact hydro projects is the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI). LIHI is an independent, nonprofit organization that assesses hydropower projects on a case-by-case basis, to see if they really meet those strict environmental standards. If a project makes the cut, LIHI provides a certification, much like a “USDA Organic” sticker—to let customers know that its energy has been generated in an environmentally friendly way. Owners of those projects get to distinguish their projects as renewable energy projects, giving them economic incentives to minimize their environmental impacts. Find out more » - Do wind turbines harm birds?
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Today’s new wind turbines do not pose a high risk to birds or any other wildlife. Newer technologies have slower blades that help prevent bird mortality. Sites are generally selected to avoid known migration patterns and reduce contact with endangered birds. Also, turbines are built in such a way to make it difficult for birds to use them for roosting. Learn more» (PDF)
- Will the power to my home be dependent upon the wind blowing?
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No. Your power will continue to be uninterrupted even when the wind isn’t blowing, because you are connected to the regional electricity system. The power that travels through the network of lines and wires that bring electricity to your home or business comes from a variety of generating sources.
- Where can I get more information on renewable energy options and renewable energy generation?
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Call a customer service representative at 1-800-769-3717 or explore the resources below:
