[GRRN] biomass power is NOT sustainable

DavidOrr@aol.com
Mon, 21 Dec 1998 04:47:30 EST


Folks:

I've been quiet on this list for awhile since I've moved into another field of
work, but I want to share with you a concern about so-called "green power"
marketing. You may have heard about Green Mountain Energy Resources, a
company based in Vermont. This company is selling so-called certified
sustainable electricity. Unfortunately it's not, it's a scam, and reputable
groups like Natural Resources Defense Council have gotten into business with
GMER to market products like certified hydroelectricity and certified biomass
power.

I bring this to your attention because some biomass plants burn trash, and
some burn clearcut forests. These are obviously not sustainable practices,
but it seems the corporate environmental groups including NRDC and
Environmental Defense Fund seem unconcerned with the details. They're getting
hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in big grant-funded programs to
promote "clean energy."

You can see GMER's website at www.gmer.com. A nonprofit group in Sacramento,
the Center for Energy Efficient and Renewable Technologies (CEERT), is
certifying this power under the "Green-E" logo. See www.ceert.org for info.

I am now working to promote campaigns to dismantle or decommission dams. I'm
seeing EDF and other groups certifying fish-killing dams. It's shocking.

I hope the GRRN will consider making a public statement about the
certification of biomass plants. There are few advocates out there who know
what's going on and who understand the problems with these facilities. In the
meantime, the corporate enviros have made some bad deals and those deals need
to be exposed and revoked.

Please let me know if you are interested.

David Orr

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