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Dow Corning Corporation is purchasing 28,800 renewable energy certificates (RECs) from NextEra Energy Resources, through its EarthEra initiative, for 2010 and 2011. The RECs purchased are equivalent to the amount of energy projected to be used at Dow Corning’s Corporate Headquarters in Midland, Mich., and will help balance the environmental impact of the site’s carbon emissions and help build new renewable energy facilities.

Dow Corning’s two year green power purchase will offset indirect CO₂ emissions resulting from the electricity use and is equivalent to the average use of nearly 1,000 American homes per year.

“As a leader in developing technologies that are helping to grow the solar and wind energy industries, Dow Corning is committed to supporting further green energy investment in the United States,” said Don Sheets, Dow Corning Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  “Our purchase of renewable energy credits offered Dow Corning the unique opportunity to both offset CO₂ emissions while supporting the growth of alternative energy generated in the United States.”

The EarthEra program was developed by NextEra Energy Resources, America’s largest producer of wind and solar power, to help accelerate the nation’s move to clean energy. All funds from Dow Corning’s purchase are placed in the EarthEra Renewable Energy Trust, where 100 percent of funds are used to build new renewable energy generating facilities in the United States.

Dow Corning recently installed solar panels and constructed a Solar Discovery Center at its Corporate Headquarters. The solar panel installation is the third the company has been involved with in Michigan. Others are at the Michigan site of Dow Corning’s joint ventures the Hemlock Semiconductor Group, and at Dow Diamond in Midland, home of the minor league baseball’s Great Lakes Loons.  In total, Dow Corning and Hemlock Semiconductor are generating approximately 100 kilowatts of solar power, at peak, in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Dow Corning’s silicon-based materials are used in solar cell manufacturing, solar module assembly and installation. In the past five years, Dow Corning and its joint ventures, the Hemlock Semiconductor Group, have announced investments of more than $5 billion to research and develop as well as to expand production of materials critical to the solar industry.

Dow Corning has been active in engaging U.S. policymakers to support alternative energy growth in the U.S.  To learn more about Dow Corning’s efforts to promote a comprehensive energy policy that will support the growth and success of a vibrant American solar energy industry visit www.dowcorning.com/solarpolicy.

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