This past weekend Community Energy partnered with the Brooklyn Brewery to host a  Wind Power Weekend — a new event that gives visitors to the Brewery the opportunity to sign up for wind power!  This event was exciting for both the Brewery and Community Energy because it promoted the Brewery's long standing commitment to New York wind-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) which offset 100% of their electricity usage, and it invited others to follow their lead.  Brooklyn Brewery customers were pleased to learn about the Brewery's commitment to locally-generated wind power and how their commitment was making a difference for the environmental and New York State.  Community Energy staff encouraged attendees to sign up for their homes through the ConEdison Solutions wind power program.  Those who made the switch to ConEdison Solutions received complimentary beers from Community Energy, and many did.  About 50 customers signed up for the voluntary wind energy program, which adds about $7.50 per month to their electricity bills. 

Brooklyn Brewery has been making a difference with wind power wince 2003.   Their purchase of 338,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) per year allows more pollution free wind-generated electricity to enter into the New York State grid and displace the need for energy from fossil fuels. 

Compared to the standard mix of energy sources in the regional grid, over the past six years, Brooklyn Brewery’s commitment has offset the release of an estimated 700 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.  This offset is the approximate equivalent to planting 630 acres of trees or not driving 1.6 million miles.   We applaud the Brewery’s leadership and continued enthusiasm and look forward to the next wind energy weekend!

If you’d like to learn more about the ConEdision Solutions wind power program please visit www.newwindenergy.com/nyc or call Community Energy at 1.866.WIND.123 (1.866.946.3123).

Written by Katherine Novick and Jill Stoneberg