Recognizing the increasing importance of renewable energy sources around the world, MONOPOLY announces that it will feature "Wind Energy" and "Solar Energy" as the utilities in the upcoming MONOPOLY Here and Now: The World Edition game. The new utilities will replace the "Water Works" and "Electric Company" spaces that traditionally appear on the MONOPOLY game board.

"When creating this first-ever worldwide MONOPOLY game board, we reviewed all elements of the game to ensure that it reflects today's global perspective. This included the utility property spaces," said Phil Jackson, Group Executive, Hasbro Games. "In a nod to the efforts of countries worldwide to increase the effectiveness and availability of renewable energy sources, we decided to feature Solar Energy and Wind Energy on the game board."

Globally, wind energy and solar energy are among the fastest growing renewable energy sources. According to the World Wind Energy Association, wind energy generates more than 1 percent of global electricity and is used in more than 70 countries.

Solar power continues to grow in popularity as an energy source, with Germany, Japan and the United States leading the world in solar energy capacity. Additionally, rooftop solar heat collectors provide hot water to more than 50 million households worldwide.

In early 2008, MONOPOLY fans from around the world voted for the global cities that they would like to see represented on the first-ever World edition game board. More than 5 million votes were cast during the voting period to determine the 22 cities that will be featured on the game board. The results of the worldwide vote will be announced in August 2008. The new MONOPOLY Here and Now: The World Edition will be available in stores around the world in Autumn 2008.

The official MONOPOLY board has long represented elite locations in individual cities. However, recently Parker Brothers invited fans of the game to help update the board in their respective countries to reflect what the game board would look like if it were created today instead of in 1935.

The votes resulted in the "Here and Now" versions of the game in each country. Previous "Here and Now" editions have featured "Cell Phone Service" and "Internet Service" instead of the Water Works and Electric Company utility spaces.