Green Power Marketing in the United States: A Status Report (Fifth Edition)

For the first time in many decades, consumers are being given a choice of who supplies their electric power and how that power is generated. One of these choices is to support electricity generation from more environmentally beneficial energy sources. The term green power generally refers to electricity supplied from renewable energy sources. By some estimates, nearly one-quarter of all U.S. consumers will have the option to purchase green power by the year 2000, either from their regulated utility provider or in competitive markets. As competition spreads in the electric power industry, more consumers will have this choice. The purpose of this brief is to provide electric industry analysts with information on green power market trends. Descriptive information on green power marketing activities in competitive and regulated market settings is included.