Four County members have access to renewable energy through NC GreenPower. The program operates upon voluntary participation by members who elect to contribute at least $4 a month on their utility bill to help support a cleaner environment through electricity produced from renewable resources.
None of the utilities participating in the NC GreenPower program keep these funds; all contributions are forwarded by the utilities directly to NC GreenPower for the purchase of renewable energy for the North Carolina electric grid. Contributions are tax-free and qualify as a tax-deductible contribution for income tax purposes.
Learn more about NC GreenPower at www.ncgreenpower.org.
Four County's Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
On October 24, 2007 Four County Electric converted a Toyota Prius into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The conversion was completed by Hymotion, the conversion module manufacturer, and Advanced Vehicle Research Center, an automotive research and development company in Raleigh.
PHEVs can increase fuel economy to more than 100 miles per gallon. The conversion facilitated by Advanced Energy took about four hours and could potentially double the fuel economy of a standard Prius, depending on the driving conditions. A PHEV uses an added lithium ion battery that can be recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source, allowing the vehicle to rely on the electric motors more to consume less gasoline. The extra battery assists the vehicle for the first 35 or 40 miles, and then the car operates as a standard hybrid.
Four County, along with three other co-ops in the nation, are participating in the project. The co-ops will operate, maintain and monitor their PHEVs for performance in the coming months to provide information for continued efforts to promote the benefits of plug-in hybrid technology.
The Toyota Prius (PHEV) will be available for display and demonstration to the public upon request. Contact Dan Allen for more information at 1-888-368-7289 or danpallen@fourcty.org.
