Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is PECO WIND?
2. What are the advantages of supporting PECO WIND?
3. Why does PECO WIND cost more?
4. How does PECO WIND energy get to my home or business?
5. If the wind is not blowing, will my lights go out?
6. Who do I call if my power goes out?
7. Will my current electric bill be affected by my purchase of wind?
8. Will there be a windmill in my backyard?
9. How is this different from just making a donation?
10. Do wind farms have a negative impact on birds?
11. This sounds great, how do I sign up?
What is PECO WIND?
PECO WIND is a 100 percent pollution-free wind-generated electricity product brought to you by PECO in association with Community Energy, the nation’s leading wind energy marketer. PECO WIND is generated right here in Pennsylvania by state-of-the-art modern windmills. The wind energy is delivered directly to the electricity grid that supplies most of the homes and businesses in the mid-Atlantic region. By participating in the PECO WIND program, you are supporting this new renewable source of electricity.
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What are the advantages of supporting PECO WIND?
Wind power is pollution free and creates electricity with no combustion, no smoke, and no waste. Building and maintaining wind farms creates jobs and revenue for landowners and local communities.
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Why does PECO WIND cost more?
The cost of producing electricity from wind energy is slightly higher than generating electricity from a conventional power source like coal or nuclear power. The price of wind energy is directly related to the cost of developing and constructing a wind farm and the seasonal production at wind power projects. Wind energy prices are 80% lower now than they were just 25 years ago. Voluntary products like PECO WIND help drive the development of new wind projects in Pennsylvania and the region by providing customer demand for this clean, abundant energy resource. As the wind energy industry continues to grow and meet our increasing energy demands, the price will become even more competitive.
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How does PECO WIND get to my home or business?
Imagine the electric grid is a giant bathtub being filled with electricity from many different faucets. Each faucet is a different generation source, like nuclear, coal, and wind. Every time you turn on a light switch, you drain a little electricity from the tub. Although buying wind does not mean that electricity is being delivered straight from the windmill to your home, it does mean that more of the electricity being put into the grid comes from wind, rather than other generation sources. By supporting PECO WIND you are reducing the need to generate electricity from other sources.
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Will my lights go out if the wind is not blowing?
No. PECO will still deliver the electricity you use each day. The only difference is that some of that electricity will come from a different place – a wind farm.
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Whom do I call if the power goes out?
PECO. We will continue to provide the quality customer care, emergency service, power line maintenance, and repair you already depend on.
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Will my current electric bill be affected by my purchase of wind?
When you sign up for PECO WIND, the additional cost will be added to your monthly PECO electric bill.
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Will there be a windmill in my backyard?
No, PECO WIND energy is generated at commercial wind farms here in Pennsylvania – two in southwestern PA and one in northeastern PA. These wind farms create electricity and deliver it directly to the same electric grid as conventional sources of electricity.
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How is this different from just making a donation?
The cost associated with PECO WIND represents the difference between the cost of conventionally generated electricity and the higher cost of wind-generated electricity. The premium dollars go back to the wind farm to help them operate cost effectively. You are paying for real energy production. If you sign up for PECO WIND, you are paying for a specified number of kilowatt-hours of wind generation to be added to the local electric grid.
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Do wind farms have a negative impact on birds?
No, not when wind farms are sited properly. Some of the early wind farms, specifically Altamont Pass in Northern California, have resulted in the death of raptors, such as hawks and eagles. In these areas, birds of prey occasionally perch atop the wind turbines for a better view while hunting. Studies are now conducted to understand bird migration patterns to ensure the safe positioning of wind farms. Our sites have been found to be free of ground prey and bodies of water that attract birds, and are not within the hunting range of raptor nests or located on bird migratory routes. Furthermore, modern wind turbine designs are much more bird-friendly. For example, solid tubular towers are used to prevent birds from perching and the turbine blades rotate much more slowly than earlier designs.
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This sounds great, how do I sign up?
Signing up to receive PECO WIND is easy! Simply click Enroll to be transferred to our secure online enrollment form, or give us a call at 1-866-WIND-321. You’ll need your twelve-digit PECO account number in order to sign up. We look forward to serving you clean energy for years to come!
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