Currently undergoing a $550 million renovation to transform the building into a more energy efficient and eco-friendly structure, the Empire State Building has just become the largest commercial purchaser of 100% renewable energy. This month it signed a contract with Green Mountain Energy Company to purchase nearly 55 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy annually.

This is more than double the amount of renewable power purchased by any other commercial customer in New York City! Once again the Empire State “Lady” stands head and shoulders above her peers.

The renewable energy to supply the Empire State Building will be purchased as wind Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from Green Mountain’s parent company, NRG Energy. Purchasing RECs supports renewable energy directly when it cannot be purchased directly from a producer.

By purchasing RECs in the same quantity of electricity consumed by the Empire State Building the amount of energy used by the building is added to the U.S. power grid directly from renewable sources. This ensures support for the further development of renewable energy projects. Purchasing RECs is a great way to “go green” when green energy supplies can’t come directly to you.

Named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Empire State Building is well on the way to becoming a Big Green Beacon on the renewables scene.
To read more, click here. To take a tour of the Empire State Building, click here.

In an early September post on my website – Wind Power Greed - I painted an ugly picture of wind energy lust. Some wind farm developers in upstate New York were bribing local officials to get permission to build wind towers, colluding among developers to avoid competitive wind option leases, and shutting down discussion in local town meetings looking for the quickest way possible to acquire enough land to make their wind farms a reality.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of a number of good folks and solid investigation by the NY Attorney General, New York State now has a Wind Power Code of Ethics that spells out quite clearly what must, and must not occur as developers and towns bring wind energy to the state.

Although subscription to the code is not mandatory, the code itself and the Task Force created to monitor wind development in the state, will ensure that towns and wind developers both keep an eye on how they do business.

In brief, the Code covers conflicts of interest by banning wind companies from:

• offering municipal officers bribes, gifts, compensation for services, contingent compensation, honoraria, or payment of legal fees and
• soliciting from municipal officers restrictions on easements/leases, or confidential information.

 The Code further spells out specific public disclosure publication requirements covering any and all financial interests of municipal officers in the project/company and all easements and leases.

The wind development company must provide specific education and training to its own employees and local municipal officers on how they need to conduct business within the Code of Ethics.

Click here to download a copy of the NY Wind Power Code of Ethics.

Or read it on line at the Wind Power Law Blog

Click here to go directly to the Code on their site.

Maryland’s Legacy Hotel and Meeting Centre is the first hotel in Montgomery County, to be powered by 100% wind energy. Working closely with Clean Currents, LLC of Rockville, MD and the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Legacy is quickly bringing its carbon footprint to zero through a combination of Renewable Energy Credits and programs and services for going Green.

Clean Currents, LLC is helping the Legacy get on board with Green Your Stay agendas. The hotel is converting its cleaning products and detergents to more organic, biodegradable solutions and installing recycling baskets in each of the 160 plus guest rooms. That’s consistent with the Green Your Stay ideas. But wait, there’s more.

The Legacy Hotel has developed its own Turn On™ service. Through this innovative new service, at the hotel guest’s request guest room energy is turned off during the guest’s absence and turned back on thirty minutes prior to their return.

Guests can also purchase an eco-friendly t-shirt with the hotel’s environmental campaign slogan “I Got Turned On At The Legacy!” and the proceeds from sale of the t-shirt contribute to Renewable Energy Credits through Clean Currents’ REC program.

Clean Currents, LLC the Green Your Stay and wind power helper in the Legacy’s program, is a Rockville, Maryland-based clean energy broker/aggregator operating in Maryland, DC, Chicago, and Texas. They are committed to promoting solutions to global warming and air pollution. And they provide wind power advocates several routes to supporting wind power projects.

With an impressive list of businesses that have taken the Go Green challenge, their Chesapeake Green program for MD and DC residents, and a growing list of news items on their website this company is already making an impact on the Chesapeake region.

As for the Legacy Hotel’s commitment to wind power and zero environmental impact, Eric Siegel, Executive Vice President of Cohen Companies, the owner group of the Hotel states. “We are proud of our commitment to both traditional hospitality and contemporary environmental responsibility. We are introducing our 100% recycling policy and hope that our guests will join our efforts to greening their stay.”

For more on the Legacy Hotel story click here

And with thanks to the folks at Green Living Ideas, here are some ideas for you personally to help green your next stay away from home.
 

• Turn off the AC, heat, lights, TV, and radio when leaving the room.
• Use the hotel van instead of renting a car, or even better, use public transportation if you’re staying in an area that provides it.
• Take short showers and don’t request fresh towels and sheets each day.
• Participate in hotel recycling programs if the hotel offers one.
• If you have the option to check out electronically through the hotel TV, take advantage of this paperless system.
• Request that mini bottles of shampoo and soap not be replaced until they are empty. Some hotels even replace the soap every day with a new bar.
• If the hotel provides complimentary newspapers, pass yours on to someone else when you are finished or see if it can be recycled.
• Take advantage of hotel guest comment cards to suggest more energy efficient light bulbs, recycling programs, and an increase in energy efficient appliances such as toilets or mini bars.

 Nationwide, Iowa ranks #1 in ethanol production, #2 in biodiesel production and #3 in wind energy production. And according to a December 2007 State webpage, in 2006, Iowa alone accounted for over 30 percent of US ethanol production and 25 percent of US biodiesel production. And, today, there are over 1,000 wind turbines creating nearly 1,000 megawatts of energy.

So what gives in Iowa?

What gives is the new $100 million renewable energy research and development initiative called the Iowa Power Fund (May 2007). The goal of the Power Fund is to invest in cutting edge research and development that is required in the new energy economy. This will create the jobs of the future and work to wean ourselves off foreign oil.

The Iowa Power Fund:

• Establishes the Office of Energy Independence.
• Establishes an Iowa Energy Independence Plan
• Establishes an Energy Efficiency Study

“Today, I believe, is the time for Iowa to take the lead in the race to become the energy capital of the world,” said Governor Culver. “The Power Fund is an exciting, forward-thinking plan that will coordinate our efforts as we explore our new energy frontier. By signing the Power Fund into law, we can create the jobs of the future in Iowa that will keep our kids at home where they belong.”