What is Renewable or “Green” Energy?
Your community may procure Renewable Energy Credits as a part of its electric Aggregation program.
Renewable or “green” energy is generated from carbon neutral resources such as sunlight, wind, tides, biofuels, or industrial waste heat recovery, all of which are replenished within a short time frame.
Exciting new technologies are enabling even coal procurement to operate in a cleaner fashion, although coal, natural gas, and nuclear power are not considered renewable nor green generation sources.
How does green energy power my home?
Most ratepayers in northern Illinois receive power from the PJM Interconnection, a power grid covering portions of 13 states. Once electricity is fed into the grid, it is impossible to determine the generation source of that power. That is akin to placing a drop of water in Lake Michigan and then removing a drop; it is impossible to determine if you have removed that same drop of water. A Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) certifies ownership of the clean energy attributes of power generated from a renewable resource. It effectually confirms you own the electricity that was fed into the grid by a renewable generation source.
The EPA states the only way you can claim to own Renewable Energy is via Renewable Energy Certificates, as detailed in this video.
How do Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) work?
This video clip by the EPA tells the story.
Sustainability Commissions
We meet with community sustainability commissions to present opportunities for incorporating renewable energy sources into a community electric aggregation program. Typically procured at zero added cost, sometimes additional benefits are included, such as funding for a local sustainability project.
Contact us to schedule a presentation for your sustainability or environmental enhancement commission.
We have participated as speaker and panelist at sustainability conferences such as LEAN Energy US and the Prairie State Regional Sustainability Network.
Sample community Renewable Energy Credit (REC) report:
For a community population of 55,000, a 100% Renewable Energy Program with consumption of 179,000 MWh hours’ electric power is, per the EPA, approximate to Carbon Dioxide Equivalent to the following Greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions:
