Professor, Students Donate Website Proceeds to Renewable Energy Projects

As a class project late last year, about 40 Wharton students helped develop TerraPass, a Web-based business that lets drivers of dirty vehicles wipe their consciences clean.

TerraPass pools its subscribers’ money to help pay for renewable energy projects such as wind farms and biomass energy. Those no-emission and low-emission projects cleanly create electricity that would have otherwise been produced at polluting, coal-fired power plants.

Fully operating since February, TerraPass says it has already attracted a few hundred members and is now trying to build its brand — in part by pressuring famous people to sign up. Earlier this month, its Web site issued a challenge to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to have his personal fleet of Hummers certified by TerraPass.