"Too Tough to Tame" Darlington Raceway Buys Renewable Energy For Race Events

Darlington Raceway Powers Darlington 200 and Southern 500 Race Events with Renewable Energy

Contact Jeff Swenerton Communications Director Center for Resource Solutions 415-561-2119 jeff@resource-solutions.org

Jacob Harris Director of Public Relations Darlington Raceway 843-395-8823 jmharris@darlingtonraceway.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (March 25, 2010)—Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) announced today that Green-e® Marketplace will verify Darlington Raceway's purchase of renewable energy for the May 7th Darlington 200 and May 8th Southern 500 races. The Darlington 200 and Southern 500 are annual races held at the Darlington Raceway's "Too Tough To Tame" 1-1/4 mile NASCAR speedway in Darlington, SC. Darlington Raceway will purchase Green-e Energy Certified GreenTags from Santee Cooper and Green Power distributed through local utility provider Pee Dee Electric Cooperative. The GreenTags will be generated in South Carolina from landfill gas and solar. By participating in Green-e Marketplace, Darlington Raceway can now display the Green-e logo to demonstrate its use of renewable energy for the two race events.

"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."

Darlington Raceway joins a growing list of companies, nonprofits, and organizations taking real action to reduce the impact of their energy use. "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 manager. "Communicating its green initiatives to such a passionate fan base will no doubt encourage others to think about how to take positive environmental actions."

Santee Cooper's GreenTags are generated from nearly emissions-free renewable sources that avoid carbon dioxide and other pollutants, and serve to build the market for renewable energy nationwide. "As the state's pace car in renewable energy, Santee Cooper wants to continue expanding its 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.

The renewable energy certificates retired on behalf of Darlington Raceway were certified by Green-e Energy, the leading renewable energy certification program in the nation. Green-e Energy provides independent, third-party certification to ensure renewable energy products meet strict environmental and consumer protection standards, including sourcing from verified, new facilities; not double-counted towards any state's renewable energy goal; and retired on behalf of the purchaser. Every Green-e Marketplace participant undergoes an annual verification audit to document that it has received or generated enough certified renewable energy to meet its commitment.

About Santee Cooper
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.

About Pee Dee Electric Cooperative
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. For more information, visit www.peedeeelectric.com.

About Green-e Marketplace and Center for Resource Solutions
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.

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