Green Mountain Energy Company Helps Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team Go Green

Partnership Will Offset 100 Percent of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Produced by Teams Support Vehicles During Tour de France, Other Races

Austin, Texas, July 5, 2007-Green Mountain Energy Company, the nations leading provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset products, and its BeGreen Carbon Offsets division, today announced a partnership with The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team to offset the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions created by the teams race support vehicles for its 2007 season.

BY THE NUMBERS
100 Percent of CO₂ emissions from race support vehicles being offset by partnership
62 Metric tons of CO₂ From races this year being offset by partnership
30 Number of trees that will be planted each time a rider wins a stage of the 2007 Tour de France

Through investments in carbon offsets that counterbalance emissions, Green Mountain/BeGreen will help the team achieve carbon neutrality for its support vehicles. Although the cycling team members will produce zero emissions through cycling activities, the partnership will address the emissions associated with the caravan of vehicles used to support the team during pro-cycling events. The goal of the partnership is to offset 100 percent of the CO₂ emissions created by these vehicles during the 2007 race season, including the Tour de France.

The partnership with The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team marks Green Mountain Energy and BeGreens first partnership with a pro-sports team. As part of the partnership, Green Mountain/BeGreen has helped the Discovery Channel Team retroactively offset the 62 metric tons of CO₂ from races thus far this year. That is equivalent to biking instead of driving your car more than 151,000 miles, or completing the Tour de France more than 68 times. In addition, 30 trees will be planted each time a Discovery Channel rider wins a stage of the 2007 Tour de France or wears a classification jersey.

People are becoming more and more aware of the negative impact on the environment of carbon dioxide emissions, and this partnership is a great example of how athletes and sports organizations can take a proactive stance with regard to reducing their carbon footprints, said Gillan Taddune, Chief Environmental Officer for Green Mountain Energy Company. BeGreen Carbon Offsets are derived from renewable energy projects across the country including solar and wind power as well as forest sequestration and energy efficiency projects, and offer a simple way for businesses and individuals to lessen their impact on global warming, added Taddune.

To offset the Discovery Channel Teams CO₂ emissions, Green Mountain Energy Company will invest in a variety of projects including:

* Energy Efficiency Offsets The Climate Trusts Portland Energy Efficiency Project provides funding for two City of Portland building energy efficiency programs that help reduce CO₂ emissions associated with consumption of grid power, natural gas, and fuel oil
* Forest Sequestration Offsets Through a partnership with American Forest, Green Mountain/BeGreen will plant trees in the Mendocino National Forest in California, to support the Hunter Fire Restoration Project
* Renewable Energy Certificates/Credits The credits offset 1 MWh of conventional electricity generation with power generated from renewable energy facilities.

"I am very excited to be a part of the Discovery Channel Teams green campaign, and specifically the Tour de France tree planting program designed in partnership with Green Mountain Energy Company, said Team Discovery rider Levi Leipheimer. I often do some of my long training rides through the Mendocino Forest area in preparation for the Tour de France, so the reforestation project is very important to me. It is a beautiful untouched part of Northern California."

About Green Mountain Energy Company
Green Mountain Energy Company (www.greenmountain.com) is the nations leading provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset products. Green Mountain began in 1997 with a simple idea: to change the way power is made. The company began in the renewable electricity market with the belief that if given a choice, consumers will choose a cleaner electricity product over polluting fossil fuels. Green Mountain and its customers have helped spur the development of 13 new wind and solar facilities across the nation.

About BeGreen Carbon Offsets
BeGreen^sm Carbon Offsets, the latest solution-based product from Green Mountain Energy Company, provides education on the serious effects of CO₂ emissions and climate change, while introducing simple and effective ways to take steps towards becoming carbon neutral. Supported by a community of forward thinking individuals, www.BeGreenNow.com encourages ways to cool down global warming.

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