What do you do when household energy is deregulated but most households don't know how to take advantage? In the case of Viridian Energy, you adopt an Amway-style approach of spreading the word.
Ed Kenny helped Viridian from its Connecticut base to Maryland in 2009. Since then, over 1800 associates have begun operating in Maryland to convert electricity bills from BGE power supply to Viridian's sources, which comprise a larger portion of clean energy than the dominant Baltimore-area utility. Viridian customers can choose to have 20% of their power come from renewable resources like wind and solar power, which is higher than the 7.5% mandated for Maryland utilities. 83% of Viridian customers opt for the 20% contribution, and the other 17% go for 100%, meaning all of their household power can be traced back to clean energy resources. Those customers generally pay about the same cost as their typical BGE bill, Kenny says. And that's where the case-by-case sales come in.
"We employ a direct-selling business model," Kenny says, "which basically means that I get involved as a distributor and inform my family and friends about deregulation and their choices." Individual Viridian associates earn residual income when their contacts switch suppliers, and over 600 Maryland non-profits also participate by getting members of congregations and organizations to switch. Viridian hopes to create a bottom-up benefit in the energy market and on the Maryland jobs scene--though most associates represent Viridian as a part-time gig, close to thirty Marylanders have already made Viridian their full-time job.
Writer: Sam Hopkins
Source: Ed Kenny, Viridian Energy