DARLINGTON, S.C. — The green flag will be greener than ever as it signals the start of the Darlington 200 and Southern 500 races at Darlington Raceway May 7-8. For the first time, all the electrical needs of these NASCAR races will be met with 100 percent Green Power.
The raceway dubbed “Too Tough To Tame” goes green that weekend with the help of Santee Cooper and Pee Dee Electric Cooperative. Darlington Raceway has purchased Green-e Energy Certified Green Power blocks and tags offered by Pee Dee Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper.
“We recognize the importance of operating efficiently and minimizing our impact to the environment,” said Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning. “We’re thrilled to partner with Pee Dee Electric Cooperative to utilize Green Power for the electrical needs of the Southern 500 race weekend. This relationship allows us to help Santee Cooper raise awareness about renewable energy and provides future reinvestment in additional renewable energy projects, such as solar-generated power, right here in our community.”
Toy Nettles, president and CEO of Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, said, “Pee Dee Electric Cooperative is extremely proud to partner with Darlington Raceway in providing 100% Green Power for the entire NASCAR weekend, including the Darlington 200 and the fan favorite Southern 500. These races will be run under the glow of the “Green-e” logo and all the rigorous standards it represents.”
“Green-e Marketplace is very pleased that Darlington Raceway has taken a leadership role and purchased renewable energy for the Southern 500 and Darlington 200,” said Orrin Cook, Green-e Marketplace program manager. “Communicating their green initiatives to such a passionate fan base will no doubt encourage others to think about how to take positive environmental actions.”
Santee Cooper has over 21 megawatts of clean, renewable Green Power from sources including landfill biogas and solar power. In fact, Santee Cooper is the only utility generating Green Power in South Carolina, and Pee Dee Electric Cooperative promotes Green Power sales to its 30,000 customers.
“As the state’s pace car in renewable energy, Santee Cooper wants to continue expanding our Green Power program through innovative partnerships such as this one with Darlington Raceway and Pee Dee Co-op,” said Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper president and CEO. “When an organization such as Darlington Raceway purchases power for its event, that money is fully reinvested in new or expanded Green Power generation by Santee Cooper. I congratulate Darlington Raceway and Pee Dee Co-op for going the extra mile in supporting renewable, South Carolina-generated Green Power.”
Green-e Marketplace provides forward-thinking organizations with a simple, nationally recognized logo they can use to communicate their commitment to renewable energy to their customers and shareholders. The Green-e logo is the nation’s leading symbol of renewable energy excellence and distinguishes Green-e Marketplace participants as environmental leaders. Green-e is a program of Center for Resource Solutions, a nonprofit that creates policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy. To learn more, visit Center for Resource Solutions and Green-e Marketplace.
Incorporated in 1939, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative serves parts of six counties in northeastern South Carolina. The 30,000-plus members of the electric distribution co-op live in Darlington, Marion, Florence, Lee, Dillon and Chesterfield counties.
Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility, and the state’s largest power producer. The ultimate source of electricity for 2 million South Carolinians, Santee Cooper is dedicated to being the state’s leading resource for improving the quality of life for the people of South Carolina. For more information, visit www.santeecooper.com.