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Q:	How does wind energy work?
A:	When uneven heating of the Earth’s surface produces differences in air pressure, wind results. Denser cool air pushes down through warm air, setting up a pattern of circulation. By using highly engineered and finely tuned wind turbines — which work much like large toy pinwheels — you can capture the wind’s energy and convert it to electricity. Blowing wind spins the turbines’ blades, thereby turning a shaft, which is attached to an electric generator. Transformers and electric lines feed the electricity at the proper voltage into the utility system for delivery to consumers. The output of a wind turbine depends on its size and the wind’s speed through the blades. Wind turbines produce energy only when the wind blows, and more energy when the wind blows faster.

Q:	What happens if I buy more blocks of kWhs (offsets) than I use in a month?
A:	Avista Utilities will purchase the same number of kWhs worth of renewable energy offsets as our customers’ subscriptions. Some customers purchase more blocks than their electric usage to offset their vehicle miles and other environmental impacts.

Q:	How much is the premium for renewable energy?
A:	The net rate works out to the base rate plus $0.0033. So that adds up to an additional one third of a penny per kWh.

Q:	Is the cost for blocks of renewable energy through Buck-A-Block in addition to the regular rates I pay?
A:	Yes, the blocks cover the incremental cost of providing emission-free energy. New sources of renewable energy, like most renewable generation resources, currently costs more to produce than other generation resources such as natural gas and coal.

Q:	Isn’t our hydropower renewable?
A:	The Northwest is fortunate to have an abundance of natural resources such as our lakes, rivers and streams. Avista has a long history of stewardship in harnessing the power of these resources while striving for a balance between the need for electricity and mitigating the impacts of hydroelectric facilities. Avista believes that hydropower is renewable generation; however, Buck-A-Block is for new renewable energy. Wind energy is an important new renewable energy source that — along with other new renewable like biomass, geothermal, landfill gas, and even solar — further improves our resource mix.

Q:	What is Avista’s resource mix?
A:	Avista produces electricity using a number of different resources. In 2006, Avista generated or contracted to purchase for resale 5.83 million megawatt hours for our Northwest customers. Our owned or contracted resources come primarily from four categories of fuel: biomass, coal, hydro, and natural gas. Avista’s fuel mix is as follows: Hydro – 52 percent Natural Gas – 16 percent Coal – 25 percent Biomass/Waste – 6 percent Other – 1 percent Avista does not own or operate any nuclear or waste generation facilities. We do however, purchase energy made within the Pacific Northwest, which includes some nuclear and waste generation. In 2006, nearly 60,000 mWh's, or 1 percent, of Avista's resources came from wind and other renewables as a result of Buck-A-Block customer purchases.

Q:	Why is Avista Utilities offering new renewable energy?
A:	We offer this option so customers like you can support alternative renewable resources like wind while offsetting your environmental impact.