The Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy (PCIEP), in partnership with leading wind energy marketer Community Energy, Inc. (CEI), announced this week that nine member colleges and universities are increasing their commitment to Pennsylvania-based wind energy.

The wind purchases are part of a campaign launched by CEI and PCIEP called "Getting to 10 percent Wind." The campaign encourages Pennsylvania colleges and universities to increase their existing wind energy purchases to match at least 10 percent of their total usage with wind energy.

To date, 34 PCIEP members are purchasing wind energy, representing nearly half of all colleges and universities purchasing renewable energy in the nation.

The universities that have signed on, and the percentage of their energy coming from wind power include: Eastern University (32.2 percent), Dickinson College (12.1 percent), The University of Pennsylvania (10.4 percent), Juniata College (10.4 percent), Allegheny College (10 percent), Chatham College (10 percent), Duquesne University (10 percent), Keystone College (10 percent), and Mercyhurst College (10 percent).

Combined PCIEP member wind energy purchases now total 92,200 megawatt hours (MWh) or the equivalent of 23 wind turbines, constituting the largest non-governmental aggregated commitment to wind power in the U.S. PCIEP's member institutions' decision to purchase pollution-free wind power mix in Pennsylvania reduces the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to planting nearly 7.5 million trees, not driving 96 million miles, or taking 15,121 cars off the road each year.

“We are proud of those colleges and universities who have accepted the challenge to purchase 10percent or more of their electricity from wind, and we know that their commitment will inspire others to follow their lead," said Brent Alderfer, President and CEO of Community Energy, Inc. "The more Pennsylvania customers who sign up to purchase clean, emission-free NewWind Energy(R), the more Pennsylvania wind farms will be brought online, creating jobs, local economic benefit, and a better future."

Other schools that are purchasing NewWind Energy® are Drexel University (8.3 percent), Franklin & Marshall College (7.1 percent), Carnegie Mellon University (6 percent), Gettysburg College (5 percent), and Penn State University (5 percent).

CEI has over 12,000 customers in Pennsylvania and many of the largest retail purchasers of wind energy in the country.

4/15/2005