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Take Advantage of Heat from the Sun
Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
What is Green Power? Green power refers to electricity generated from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, and biomass.
How Does the Green Power Program Work? GCEA purchases green power at a premium from Tri-State under its Voluntary Renewable Resource Program and then passes the cost of green power on to participating GCEA members. The current cost is just $0.50 per 100 kWh block. This additional cost is not a profit to Tri-State or GCEA. Currently, GCEA pays Tri-State $0.40 per 100 kWh block and the additional ten cents goes into a fund to develop energy efficiency programs for our members.
How Will the Premium Affect My Monthly Electric Bill? Here is an example of how the premium will affect an average member's bill. A member whose current electric consumption is 700 kWh, pays the minimum monthly facility charge of $16.00 plus 700 kWh times the residential rate of $0.11279, or $78.95, for a total bill of $94.95 without tax. If this member wanted to purchase the entire 700 kWh as green power, he would need to sign up for seven blocks of green power at an additional cost of $0.50 per 100 kWh block. The member's bill under the Green Power Program would be calculated by multiplying $0.50 times 7 blocks, equaling $3.50. This amount would be added to the member's monthly bill of $94.95 for a total of $98.45.
How Can I Sign Up? Members can sign up to buy as many blocks of green power as they want, and may discontinue participation in the program at any time by contacting GCEA one month in advance. Call GCEA at 970-641-3520 or click here to sign up. The additional cost to participate in the Green Power Program will appear as a line item on participating members' monthly electric bills.
Non-participating members can rest assured that the Green Power Program has no impact on the price they pay for electricity; their power is produced by the most cost-effective and efficient means possible.
How Successful in the Green Power Program? GCEA's Green Power Program with the help of the Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE) our share of green power has grown to make us one of the three largest green power distributors on the Tri-State Generation and Transmission System.
As of June 2008, nearly five percent of GCEA members were participating in the Green Power Program. GCEA also participates by purchasing green power blocks for its own energy use. A total of 3,600 blocks is purchased and distributed each month, as shown in the table below:
Class |
GCEA Accounts |
Blocks |
| Residential | 342 |
2,328 |
| Commercial | 74 |
834 |
| GCEA | 8 |
438 |
| Total | 424 |
3,600 |
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How Will My Participation in the Green Power Program Contribute to A More Sustainable Economy? GCEA purchases power from its supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, which purchases its energy from a variety of sources. The current mix, as reported by Tri-State Generation and Transmission, is as follows:
70% |
Coal Fired Generation |
12% |
Federal Hydro Electric Generation |
9% |
Basin Electric |
6% |
Renewable Energy (wind & bio gas) |
3% |
Natural Gas Generation (oil & gas) |
Tri-State Generation and Transmission is committed to increasing the amount of renewable energy in its portfolio and assures us that there is plenty of wind power and bio-mass power for members who wish to participate in the Green Power Program.
As more people participate in green power programs like ours, more generation and transmission companies will be willing to support the development of renewable energy sources.
© Copyright 2009 Gunnison County Electric Association, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 
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