Renewable Energy FAQs

What is renewable energy?

Why is renewable energy important?

Why doesn't REU have 100% of its portfolio as renewables?

What are the challenges of renewable energy?

What other kinds of energy does REU have in its portfolio?

Does REU support renewable energy in other ways?

What are renewable energy credits?

Will the renewable energy go directly into my home?

Do windmills harm birds and other wildlife?

Where are REU's renewable energy facilities located?

Why does California have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)?

What are the basic components of REU's Renewable Portfolio Standards?

How can I learn more about renewable energy?

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Answers

What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is electricity that is produced from sources that replenish themselves naturally. Redding Electric Utility (REU) has invested in four major sources of renewable energy:

• Wind
• Hydro
• Biomass
• Solar

These renewable sources of electricity have less impact on the environment than traditional methods of electricity generation, which includes burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Natural gas and coal, for example, are not considered renewable forms of energy because their use consumes natural resources at a much quicker rate than they are replenished.

Renewable energy has a lower impact on the environment than traditional methods of electricity generation. It produces lower levels of air pollutants, wastewater, smog, and acid rain, and it can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although renewable energy is not as reliable a source of power due to its intermittent nature, it can still help reduce our nation's reliance on fossil fuels.

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Why is renewable energy important?
The development and utilization of renewable energy is important for two basic reasons:

1. Environmental impacts from power production are minimized;
2. Customer rates are stabilized when the fuel source for power generation is based on a renewable energy source.

At REU, we strive to minimize our impacts on the environment when we generate or purchase power for our customers. A significant portion of the electricity consumed in Redding is derived from hydroelectric dams located throughout the Central Valley Project.

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Why doesn't REU have 100% of its portfolio as renewables?
Keeping our electric rates low is a top priority at REU. Most of our customers also want us to serve them reliable power at the lowest possible cost available. Therefore, when we analyze new additions to our power portfolio, a strong emphasis is placed on the resulting impact on electric rates. Adding more renewables to the mix is more expensive and presents many new challenges. In that regard, REU strives to provide power resources that have low impacts on the environment.

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What other kinds of energy does REU have in its portfolio?
REU employs a diverse resource mix that consists of both renewable and non-renewable resources in order to provide low-cost, safe, and reliable energy to our community. Please view our Power Content Label to find out exactly where we get our energy from.

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Does REU support renewable energy in other ways?

Redding’s Residential Green Building Program – REU Earth Advantage Program
REU, in partnership with the Shasta Builders' Exchange, the City's Building Department, and the City's Water and Solid Waste Utilities launched a residential “green” building program, Earth Advantage®, for new construction projects in the City of Redding that promote:

• Increased Energy Efficiency (20% more efficient than California Title 24 Standards)
• Healthier Indoor Air Quality
• Environmental Responsibility
• Resource Efficiency

Earth Advantage is designed to offer builders and developers multiple options on building techniques, products, and measures to meet program standards and criteria. REU firmly believes that these standards will enhance the quality and lower the operating costs of Earth Advantage homes, making them more efficient, sustainable, durable, healthy, and valuable than other homes that are not built to Earth Advantage standards.

REU encourages local builders, developers, and customers to contact Bryan at (530) 339-7213 or Dave at (530) 339-7240 to discuss this program and how you might get involved in this effort.

REU’s Public Benefits Program – Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Rebate Programs
All REU customers are eligible to participate in REU’s Rebate Programs.  REU offers rebates for a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy products, measures, and technologies including Energy Star® appliances, insulation, window replacement, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.

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What are renewable energy credits?
Electricity from a renewable source is indistinguishable from the electricity produced by other sources with some big exceptions-it does not pollute the air, consume natural resources or emit greenhouse gases. There is value in avoiding these impacts. Companies who produce energy without these environmental impacts receive this value by earning credits for each kilowatt-hour they produce-renewable energy credits.

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Will the renewable energy go directly into my home?
Everyone who is living in a house, cottage, mobile home or apartment, (receiving power from REU), receives renewable energy. REU has made a commitment to provide renewable resources equally to all of its customers. Renewable power is received by REU at various points on our electric system daily. When renewable power is delivered to the electric grid, it mixes with power from other sources. The actual electricity generated from renewable sources cannot be directed to a specific home or business.

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Do windmills harm birds and other wildlife?
REU signed a long-term contract to purchase wind power from a project in the Pacific Northwest that is made up of modern wind turbines that are much larger and move more slowly. Modern turbines are built in such a way as to prevent nesting in turbine ballasts. The wind project that Redding is a participant of is known as the "Bluebird Capital of the World." The project built and placed over 250 bluebird boxes around the area and studies have shown the turbines do not hurt the bluebird population, which generally flies well below the blades.

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Where are REU's renewable energy facilities located?
The renewable energy that constitutes REU's portfolio comes from a variety of sources both within and outside of California. REU's hydroelectric resources are provided through a long term contract with the Federal Government to purchase a significant portion of Redding's energy needs from power generated by the Central Valley Project at Shasta Dam, and Redding also has a small hydro generating plant at the base of Whiskeytown Dam; both of these facilities are near the City of Redding.

The wind component of REU's portfolio comes from the Big Horn Wind Power Project located in eastern Washington State. REU is proud to be a participant in this project as it supports the local economy through property tax payments and jobs.

REU currently has two sites that gather solar data for modeling purposes at the Redding Power Plant and Redding City Hall to allow REU to accurately forecast solar energy production.

Finally, REU recently entered into a long-term contract with a Northern California forest products company located in Weed, California, to purchase biomass energy generated at its sawmill.

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Why does California have a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)?
Senate Bill 1078, the Bill that created California's renewable energy standards, was structured to support the local control and flexibility of municipal utilities. The investor-owned utilities of California are required to comply with the standards, as the control of these utilities is in the hands of the government of California. However, municipal utilities are controlled locally by their respective governing boards or councils. Therefore, the law states that each utility's governing board is responsible for implementing and enforcing the local RPS which:

"recognizes the Legislature's intent to encourage renewable resources, especially wind and photovoltaic, taking into consideration the effect on rates, reliability, financial resources and the goal of environmental improvement."

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What are the basic components of REU's Renewable Portfolio Standards?

• 20% of retail sales will be served by renewable resources by the year 2017.
• Renewable resources include all solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydro-electric fuel sources.
• Existing renewable energy sources include power deliveries from the Central Valley Project, Whiskeytown Dam, and customer renewable installations.
• Feasibility investigation into all areas of renewable energy.
• Continuation of quarterly reporting of resource mix used to serve customers, including all renewable and non-renewable resources.

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How can I learn more about renewable energy?
We have provided several links to aid you in learning more about renewable energy and how you can do your part to promote clean energy sources:

United States Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
United States Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
California Energy Commission, Consumer Energy Center - Renewable Energy
Official California Legislative Information - Senate Bill 1078, Renewables Portfolio Standard

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