FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2012
CONTACT: Randy Wilkerson, 720-962-7050, corpcomm@wapa.gov

FEDERAL AGENCIES SEEK RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES

LAKEWOOD, Colo.—Western Area Power Administration received requests from three Federal agencies who would like to participate in Western’s 2012 consolidated renewable energy certificate purchase.

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory requested 30,000 RECs for fiscal year 2012, Los Alamos National Laboratory requested 461,231 RECs for 2012 through 2016 and Sandia National Laboratories requested 48,000 RECs for 2013 and 2014. In total, the three national labs requested 539,231 RECs over the next five years.

RECs are the environmental benefits associated with generating one megawatthour of electric energy from a renewable resource and can be purchased without requiring transmission or affecting existing power contracts. Agencies can use RECs to meet the environmental and renewable energy goals established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Section 203, and Executive Orders 13423 and 13514.

Through the Renewable Resources for Federal Agencies Program, Western works with the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program to help any Federal agency meet renewable energy goals, reduce emissions and foster markets for emerging technologies. RRFA coordinates the purchase of renewable energy and/or its benefits for Federal facilities with a streamlined purchase process that contains costs and gives agencies greater choice in the type of renewable projects they support.

Western will soon issue a request for proposals to purchase the RECs. If one or more vendors can meet the price, quantity, and characteristics requested by the Federal agencies, Western will enter into a contract to purchase the RECs on their behalf.

-30-