Under the authority of Executive Order 13123, GSA’s Energy Center of Expertise and the Northeast and Caribbean Region made history by awarding the Federal Government’s first 100 percent wind power contract to Select Energy.
GSA’s contract with Select Energy requires that the company provide 100 percent wind power to both the Alexander Pirnie Federal Building in Utica, NY, and the Binghamton Federal Building in Binghamton, NY. GSA is obtaining 1,100 megawatt hours of wind power from the Fenner Wind Farm in Fenner, NY. Completed in 2001, the wind farm uses twenty Wind Energy Turbines. Awarding this contract to Select Energy shows the taxpayer that GSA is actively striving to comply with Executive Order 13123’s Renewable Energy Goals by having the equivalent of 2.5 percent of its facilities electricity consumption come from renewable energy sources by fiscal year 2005. The 1.75 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) wind power premium that GSA is paying is significantly lower than the New York Independent System Operator average price of 3 cents per kWh for wind power.
GSA’s successful purchase of 100 percent wind power in upstate New York attracted such positive attention throughout the Federal community that EPA has requested that GSA purchase 100 percent wind power for the EPA regional headquarters in New York City. Purchasing renewable power has now been incorporated into the Regional asset management strategic plan. For example, GSA is seeking to obtain a LEED silver certification from for the U.S. Courthouse in Buffalo, NY.
For more information, contact Mr. Brian K. Magden at (212) 264-0591 or via e-mail at brian.magden@gsa.gov.
