LARAMIE, Wyo. (PRESS RELEASE) – The City of Laramie was the proud recipient of a Blue Sky Award from Rocky Mountain Power in 2020 to support the installation of solar panels to serve the Laramie Community Recreation Center and the Ice & Event Center.
Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue-Sky program funds renewable energy projects in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. The celebration for the new solar panels will take place on Thursday, June 10th, at the cul de sac on the Southwest side of the Recreation Center, between the Recreation Center and Basic Beginnings, at 920 Boulder Drive. The ceremony will begin at 11 am, followed by refreshments.
The solar panel installation at the Laramie Community Recreation Center and the Ice and Events Center represents the first major step toward the City of Laramie’s Carbon Neutrality Goal. These facilities were selected for the inaugural solar investment for their impact toward the municipal goal of net neutrality and for their ability to serve as an educational site for the thousands of annual guests visiting both facilities each year.
“For more than 20 years, the Blue Sky program has offered Rocky Mountain Power customers a simple and powerful way to live their values, reduce their carbon footprint and support renewable energy,” said Sharon Fain, Rocky Mountain Power vice president for Wyoming.
“We appreciate our Blue Sky customers for supporting projects like these and powering a better future for local communities.”
Launched in the spring of 2000, Blue Sky allows customers to match their energy usage with the purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs). It’s a simple way for participants to support new renewable energy in the West, above and beyond Rocky Mountain Power’s substantial and growing commitment to renewables.
In Wyoming, more than 5,000 Rocky Mountain Power customers take part in Blue Sky, and the number continues to grow each year. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory rankings, Blue Sky is one of the top five utility programs of its kind based on most participants and most renewable energy supported. For many cities and counties, Blue Sky offers a tangible way to meet local sustainability and climate action goals.
To participate, customers select the amount of renewable energy they want to support, then pay that extra amount on their monthly bill, starting at $1.95 per month. In addition to supporting clean energy to offset their energy use at home or work, participants also support community-based renewable energy projects for local nonprofits, schools and civic groups, and the development of new utility-scale renewable energy facilities.
For more information on this project, please contact Todd Feezer, Assistant City Manager at tfeezer@cityoflaramie.org or Sarah Reese, Community and Economic Initiatives Coordinator at sreese@cityoflaramie.org.
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