Transcript A Definition of “Sustainability”

Electric Cooperatives in the U.S.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Martin J. Lowery
Executive Vice President, External Affairs
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Samvirkefrokosten 2007
Oslo, Norge
October 31, 2007
The First Co-op in the United States Was
Organized by Benjamin Franklin
Philadelphia Contributorship for
the Insurance of Homes from Loss
of Fire (1752)
The Reach of U.S. Cooperatives
Cooperatives today serve
120 million members in the
United States
(4 in 10 people)
Co-ops Affect All Sectors of the
U.S. Economy
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Agriculture
Childcare
Energy
Financial services
Food retailing and
distribution
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Health Care
Insurance
Housing
Purchasing
Telecomm
U.S. Cooperative Statistics
• 29 cooperatives have annual revenue in
excess of $1 billion.
• The top 100 co-ops have a combined $117
billion in revenues.
• 270 telephone cooperatives provide service
to two million households.
U.S. Cooperative Statistics
• 250 purchasing cooperatives offer group
buying and shared services to more than
50,000 independent businesses.
• Nearly 10,000 U.S. credit unions have 84
million members and assets in excess of
$600 billion.
• More than 6,400 housing cooperatives
provide homes for 1.5 million households.
U.S. Cooperative Statistics
• 30 percent of farmers' products in the U.S.
are marketed through more than 3,000
farmer-owned cooperatives.
• More than 1,000 mutual insurance
companies, with more than $80 billion in net
written premiums, are owned by their
policyholders.
The Electric Cooperative Network
in the United States Today
Electric Co-op Facts-at-a-Glance
864 distribution and 66 G&T cooperatives serving
– 40 million people in 47 states
– 17 million businesses, homes, farms and other
establishments in 2,500 of 3,141 counties in the U.S.
– 12 percent of the nation's population
National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association (NRECA)
• Organized in 1941
• Provides Legislative and Regulatory Support
to U.S. Electric Cooperatives
• Provides Insurance Benefit Coverage to
Employees of U.S. Electric Cooperatives
• Provides Educational Support
Other Support Organizations
• Rural Utilities Services (1935)
• Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange
(1959)
• Cooperative Finance Corporation (1968)
• National Rural Telecommunications
Cooperative (1986)
• Alliance for Cooperative Energy Services
(1998)
Electric Co-op Facts-at-a-Glance
• We own and maintain 2.4 million miles (43%)
of the nation’s electric distribution lines
• We cover three quarters of the U.S. landmass
• We deliver 10 percent of the total kilowatthours sold in the U.S. each year
• We employ 67,000 people in the United
States
Electric Co-ops
Promote Renewable Energy
• 88% of all electric co-ops offer electricity
generated from renewable energy sources
• In 2005, 11% of electric co-op power sales
came from renewable energy sources
Electric Co-ops
Promote Renewable Energy
Types of electric co-op renewable generation:
– wind
– solar
– hydro
– biomass
– refuse-derived fuel
– geothermal and waste heat recovery
Electric Co-ops Promote Energy Efficiency
and Conservation
• 92% educate consumers on conservation
• 77% offer residential energy audits
• 64% offer commercial and industrial energy
audits
Electric Co-ops Promote Energy Efficiency
and Conservation
• 49% offer financial incentives for consumer
efficiency/conservation efforts
• 37% of all co-ops have direct control over air
conditioners or hot water heaters
Electric Co-ops Promote
Advanced Metering Technology
• More than 40% of all electric co-ops have
installed advanced metering devices at
residential, commercial and industrial
locations.
• According to a 2006 report from the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, among utility
sectors, “market penetration of advanced
metering is highest among electric
cooperatives.”
The Traditional Mission of
Electric Cooperatives Continues
• Reliable Service
• Lowest Possible Cost
• Sound Business Practices
“Reliable and affordable”
The Future
• A National Renewable Energy Cooperative
• An Aggressive Energy Efficiency Initiative
• A Long-Term Commitment to Balancing
Affordability and Sustainability in Addressing
CO2 Emissions
Our Commitment to the
Developing World
Over 2 billion people worldwide
do not have electricity
Since 1962…
75 million meters installed…
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Bangladesh
Philippines
El Salvador
Nicaragua
Guatemala
Bolivia
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Brazil
Costa Rica
Honduras
Argentina
Vietnam
Thailand
Current and Planned…
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Bangladesh
Philippines
Dominican Republic
Haiti
Sudan
Afghanistan
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Yemen
India
Nigeria
Ghana
Senegal
Vietnam