Does burning wood affect the air quality?
Wood smoke accounts for about 30% of the fine particle matter in the air
(2.5 micrometers or smaller) during the winter months. Inhaling these fine particles can have adverse effects on the lungs and heart. Burning wood also generates toxins including dioxin, benzene and formaldehyde. For more information visit http://www.sparetheair.org/changeout.htm

Does renewable energy cost more?
Yes, but the premium over "brown power" has been steadily falling. The average household in Palo Alto using 650 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power each month will pay an additional cost of only $9.75 more for PaloAltoGreen, about the same as a small pizza, three cups of gourmet coffee or a downtown lunch. Small businesses will pay the same small additional cost as residents. For large businesses, the additional cost begins at $15 a month for each 1,000 kilowatt-hour block of renewable energy.

Furthermore, because of Palo Alto’s very low electricity rates, participation in PaloAltoGreen is still 30% cheaper than PG&E’s standard electricity rate!

Does the City of Palo Alto Utilities support renewable energy in other ways?
Yes. PaloAltoGreen is just one more way that the CPAU promotes cleaner energy solutions. The CPAU has a longstanding practice of purchasing hydroelectric power for its utility customers and offering financial incentives for customer installation of photovoltaic systems in Palo Alto. In addition to PaloAltoGreen, CPAU has adopted guidelines that will increase the amount of its renewable energy purchases from 14% today to 33% by 2015.

How does my money support renewable energy?
If you consume 6,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) in one year, and choose to participate in PaloAltoGreen, you will be supporting 6,000 kWh of electricity output from recently built or new wind generators. Every 230 Palo Alto homes that participate in PaloAltoGreen purchase the output of approximately one new wind generator on one of BPA's wind farms.

How does my participation help the environment?

Every participant of PaloAltoGreen increases the amount of renewable energy the City of Palo Alto Utilities will buy on your behalf. Because PaloAltoGreen consists of entirely "new" renewable facilities, your participation leads directly to the development of new clean generation facilities. "New" renewables are generation facilities that first started operation on or after January 1, 1999, or as defined by Green-e regional certification standard. As new renewable facilities come online they replace the dirtiest power plants in the power pool, thereby reducing pollution and cleaning the entire power pool. 100% of the renewable energy supported by the program comes from sources built this year or in recent years.

How does PaloAltoGreen compare to other renewable programs?
There are several other green programs in the California electricity market. Some of these are available for Palo Alto commercial customers who are currently eligible for Electric Direct Access (choice of electric supplier). Several of these green programs offer products that are 100% renewable. However, PaloAltoGreen’s direct link to development of new, renewable energy generation at the price offered makes it highly unusual. PaloAltoGreen offers rates that are among the lowest in the United States. Plus, unlike other programs, PaloAltoGreen requires no term commitments or program exit fees.

How much does it cost to burn wood in my fireplace?
Burning wood not only contributes to air pollution but it will cost you approximately $80.00 per month (burning for 3 hours per day).

How much gas does an average furnace use?

Btu/hour input	Therms per hour	Cost per hour*
75,000 - 130,000	.75 - 1.30	$.82 - $1.42

*Based on CPAU average winter gas rates.

If I install a natural gas fireplace, will it heat my whole house?
There are many types and sizes of gas fireplaces. Check with the manufacturer for heating capacity.

What are the types of natural gas fireplaces and how do they compare?

	Gas Fireplaces	Gas Fireplace Inserts	Gas Stoves
Cost Range	$200 - $500	$800 - $2,500	$950 - $2,500
Installation Cost	$300 - $550	$475 - $800	$500 - $800
Operating Cost Based on a range of 20,000 to 40,000 Btu/hour	$.22 - $.44 per hour *	$.22 - $.44 per hour *	$.22 - $.44 per hour *
Qualities	Attractive Convenient Efficient	Attractive Good additional source of heat Convenient Efficient	Attractive Good additional source of heat Highly efficient
Application	Complete prefabricated units Best for new construction or remodel	Best for upgrading a wood burning fireplace into a more efficient heat source	Free Standing units come in many types Good replacement for a wood burning stove Best for new construction or remodel

* Based on the average cost of CPAU winter gas rates: 96 therms at .862; over 96 therms 1.321.

What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy or "green power" is the name given to energy generated from natural, renewable resources. The California Energy Commission (CEC) considers wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, and small hydroelectric (30 megawatts capacity or less) as renewable energy.

California currently gets about 89% of its electricity from a combination of natural gas, large hydroelectric, coal and nuclear sources. The remaining 11% is generated from existing renewable, or green, sources.

What other kinds of energy does the City of Palo Alto Utilities offer?
The power mix varies according to the availability of hydroelectric power, which is dependent on rain and snowfall. In 2007, the mix was:

Large Hydroelectric: 53%
Natural Gas: 18%
Nuclear: 0%
Eligible Renewables: 14%
Coal: 14%

While large hydroelectric is a non-depleting resource, it is not eligible to be called a "renewable resource" because of its impact on river ecosystems.

Note--percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding.

What Steps should I take before purchasing a natural gas fireplace?

Where can I get a rebate for installing a natural gas fireplace?
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District offers rebates of $100.00 and $300.00. Check http://www.sparetheair.org/changeout.htmfor details.

Who is eligible for PaloAltoGreen?
Everyone who is living in a house, cottage, mobile home or apartment having a separate meter and receiving power from the City of Palo Alto Utilities is eligible. The program is also open to small businesses, master-metered condominiums and apartments, and demand-metered commercial and industrial customers.

Who is the City’s PaloAltoGreen partner?
The City of Palo Alto Utilities has partnered with 3 Degrees, a California-based renewable energy company, as its partner to develop the program and manage renewable energy purchases on behalf of the City. In operation in California since 1994, 3 Degrees is a renewable energy service provider (ESP) and provides a variety of services.

For additional information, visit www.3degreesinc.com

Will a natural gas fireplace fit in my wood-burning fireplace?
Yes, gas fireplaces are complete, prefabricated units that come in a variety of sizes and styles. Check with your local dealer or contact the American Gas Association for dealer list and general information.

Will the program be certified as "Green-e Energy"?
The CPAU received Green-e Energy certification for PaloAltoGreen by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions (CSR), a national accreditation body for renewable energy programs. The Green-e Program certifies that PaloAltoGreen meets the strict environmental and consumer protection standards established by CRS. For more information on Green-e certification requirements, call 1-888-63-GREEEN or log onto www.green-e.com.

Will wind or solar energy come directly to my home or business?
When you subscribe to PaloAltoGreen, CPAU contracts for renewable power to meet your annual electrical needs. Renewable power is then delivered to various points on our Western electric system daily. This means less electricity is produced daily from non-renewable power plants across the west using natural gas or other nonrenewable fuels. Once this renewable power is delivered to the Western electric system, it mixes with power from other generating plants. This means the actual electricity generated from 'green' sources cannot be directed to a specific home or business. But as more customers subscribe to PaloAltoGreen, the amount of green power in that daily power mix gets larger and larger.

Will renewable, such as PaloAltoGreen cost, always cost more than regular power?
Based on economic projections, renewable power will be at the same cost as brown power in 5-10 years, thus increasing the use of renewable energy resources. One thing to note is that even now, there are times when natural gas prices spike that wind can even be cheaper than a nonrenewable resource. As of recently, there are also now four large wind turbine manufacturers whose business competition is drastically bringing down the cost of capital for these wind facilities, and ultimately decreasing the cost of the power.