October 18, 2002—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and wind energy marketer Community Energy (CEI) have announced the availability of new, locally generated wind energy for Capital area businesses.
The US Army, Catholic University, and National Geographic Society all announced groundbreaking purchases of wind energy from local electricity provider, Washington Gas Energy Services.
Washington Gas Energy Services is the first electricity provider in the nation’s Capital to offer CEI’s New Wind Energy product to all of its customers.
The US Army’s purchase of the energy equivalent of an entire 1.5-megawatt wind turbine will serve part of the needs of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campuses in D.C. and Maryland, Fort McNair in D.C., and Adelphi Labs in Maryland.
Catholic University’s purchase of the same amount represents 12 percent of all the electricity they use, the largest percentage commitment of any university or college nationwide.
The National Geographic Society’s purchase will account for 5 percent of the electric needs of its D.C. headquarters. One 1.5-megawatt wind turbine’s output annually is equal to the electricity use of 500 typical homes.
The Mountaineer Wind Energy Center will be the largest wind power project east of the Mississippi River when it goes on-line in December. Exelon Power Team, based in Kennett Square, PA, agreed to purchase all of the electricity produced by the wind turbines for 20 years, allowing the project to go forward.
The project operator/owner is FPL Energy, the largest U.S. generator of wind power. It currently has more than 20 wind farms in nine states. The wind farm was initiated and developed by Atlantic Renewable Energy Corporation. Atlantic Renewable has developed more than 75 percent of all installed windpower capacity in the eastern US.
For more information, contact Community Energy, Inc.
