Proposals Since Launch

SAN FRANCISCO, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company's ClimateSmart(TM) program today announced it has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to one million tons of new greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions on behalf of the nearly 30,000 customers enrolled in the voluntary carbon offset program. This is ClimateSmart's second RFP since the program launched in June of 2007.

"Coupled with programs in energy efficiency and solar rooftops, voluntary carbon offsets are a key component of PG&E's broader strategy to provide our customers with tools to address climate change," said Nancy McFadden, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for PG&E. "We look forward to receiving a wide range of competitive offers from prospective greenhouse gas emission reduction projects that will enable the ClimateSmart program to continue to diversify and grow our portfolio."

PG&E's ClimateSmart program is a voluntary program that allows customers to balance out the emissions that are produced by the energy they use, making their energy use "climate neutral." To date, nearly 30,000 customers -- including residents, businesses and cities -- have enrolled in the program, which invests 100 percent of customer funds in the selected projects.

"The City of San Jose is pleased to be a ClimateSmart customer because we know that our investment is going toward high-quality greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in California," said John Stufflebean, Director of Environmental Services for the City of San Jose. "The next generation of projects will only continue to encourage new and innovative ways for our community to do its part in the fight against climate change."

Proposals for the ClimateSmart program's GHG emission reduction projects may include forest conservation, conservation-based forest management and reforestation projects in California; or installation of a manure biogas control system for livestock operations, such as dairy cattle and swine farms. The ClimateSmart program's current portfolio includes 214,000 metric tons from two northern California forest sequestration projects, the Garcia River Forest and the Lompico Headwaters Forest. Final inclusion of livestock projects in the ClimateSmart program is currently pending approval by the California Public Utilities Commission.

"Biogas projects offer an important opportunity for dairies to voluntarily reduce their carbon footprint," said Stan Andre, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board. "The ClimateSmart bid solicitation sends a strong signal that PG&E is committed to working with dairies to develop economically-viable projects."

PG&E has scheduled three bidders' conferences to be held in San Francisco (May 28), Sacramento (May 29) and Tulare (June 2). Bids are due on July 2 at 2 p.m. For more information about the RFP for GHG emission reduction projects, please visit http://www.pge.com/climatesmart .

As more customers enroll in the ClimateSmart program over the next two years, PG&E will continue to seek additional high-quality GHG emission reduction projects. By the end of 2009, ClimateSmart will have contracted for projects that yield at least 1.5 million tons of GHG emission reductions.

PG&E enrolled as the first participant in the ClimateSmart program by committing approximately $1.5 million of shareholder funding from 2007 to 2009 to make all of the energy use in the company's offices, service centers, maintenance facilities and other company buildings climate neutral. When a customer enrolls in ClimateSmart, PG&E calculates the actual amount of GHG emissions produced by the customer's electricity and gas usage each month and adds the amount needed to make the customer's energy use climate neutral to the monthly bill. For the average residential customer, the cost is less than $5 per month.

PG&E proudly provides its customers with among the cleanest energy in the nation. On average, more than 50 percent of the energy delivered to its electric customers is carbon free. Through its leading energy efficiency and demand response programs, the company has helped prevent more than 135 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, while saving its customers nearly $22 billion.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation, is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in northern and central California. For more information, visit http://www.pge.com .