FirstEnergy launches cleaner energy campaign
AKRON, Ohio – FirstEnergy Corp. on Monday introduced a new branding campaign it said demonstrates its commitment to a cleaner energy future.
“The Switch is On” campaign highlights the company’s environmental achievements, its transition to cleaner energy sources and a green energy electricity option from for residential customers in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The campaign, outlined in a press release, will run through July. It includes print advertisements in 17 newspapers and business journals, radio advertisements in 14 markets, and more than 50 billboards in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland.
Complementing the advertisements is a dedicated website – www.theswitchison.com – highlighting FirstEnergy’s environmental goals, and the company’s corporate website has been enhanced with additional environmental messaging. FirstEnergy also will support the environmental campaign through its social media channels with information such as tips for consumers on how to conserve energy and updates on its environmental initiatives.
FirstEnergy President and CEO Chuck Jones said the company is one of the region’s largest providers of renewable energy from contracted wind, solar and pumped-storage hydro resources.
“While the transition to a cleaner energy future will take time, our ultimate goal is to continue to deliver safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our customers through cleaner, smarter and more sustainable technologies,” Jones said.
According to the company, in 2015, more than one third of the electricity produced by its generating fleet was from carbon-free sources, including 31.9 million megawatt hours from three nuclear power stations, 1.6 million megawatt hours from two hydro plants, 1.2 million megawatt hours from five wind facilities and 36,000 megawatt hours from solar installations in Maryland and New Jersey.
FirstEnergy said closure of 11 of its older, less efficient power plants since 2012, including the Mitchell Power Station in Washington County and the Hatfield’s Ferry plant in Greene County, has supported its transition to a cleaner energy fleet. With the completion of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards projects in the spring, FirstEnergy said it is expected to have reduced nitrogen oxide by 90 percent, sulfur dioxide by 95 percent and mercury by 91 percent over 1990 levels at its power plants. As a result, the company’s generating fleet will be nearly 100 percent low- or non-emitting.
The company said it has set an aggressive goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by at least 90 percent below 2005 levels by 2045, building on the 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions already achieved across the company’s footprint. It said the goal represents a potential reduction of more than 80 million tons of CO2 emissions and is among the most aggressive targets in the utility industry.
Future actions planned to reduce CO2 emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources include:
• Continuing to invest in cost-effective wind, solar and hydro generation resources
• Maintaining fuel diversity, including nuclear and natural gas
• Investing in advanced technologies to enhance carbon reduction at coal generation facilities
• Developing a Resource Diversification Program that includes energy efficiency programs and renewable energy resources
• Providing significant funding for energy efficiency and weatherization programs for low-income customers
• Encouraging the development of storage technologies that support more widespread use of intermittent generation sources
The company said that with its Green Energy Option, residential customers in Ohio and Pennsylvania can help the transition to a cleaner energy future.
Named “AllGreen Energy,” the program allows customers to help stimulate clean power by supporting renewable resources that generate electricity on the grid.
More information on the “AllGreen Energy” option, and green options for business customers, is available on the Web at www.theswitchison.com.