Yellow Springs residents will soon have the opportunity to ensure that the cost of their share of household energy use goes to supporting renewable power sources like the sun, wind, waterways and landfill gas. Village Council on Monday, May 19, agreed to initiate a new 'green pricing' program that will offer residents the option of paying for the renewable energy production equivalent to their household power consumption. In other words, by paying a little extra on their utility bill, residents can support the production of green energy and reduce demand for fossil fuels to supply the country's power grid.

The green pricing program allows Yellow Springs utility consumers to purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) equivalent to the amount of kilowatt hours of electricity they consume each month. While all energy consumers are using the mix of renewable and non-renewable energy available on the power grid at any given moment, green pricing participants will be paying only for the renewable sources. According to Julia Blankenship, who directs the AMP-Ohio program that will administer green pricing for Yellow Springs, green pricing participants are thereby investing only in renewable energy.