Leadership and Impact
Choosing to use renewable electricity is a simple, yet meaningful action that can make a difference. Since choosing to use renewable electricity is still relatively uncommon in the U.S., making a simple, proactive choice for how one’s power is generated is a form of leadership that can inform and influence others. Learn more about how to buy green power.
There are more ways to choose and use renewable electricity. The impact of a particular renewable electricity purchase in terms of environmental, economic, or energy resources depends on who the consumer is, where they are located, and what renewable electricity options they have access to, or not. Below is EPA guidance around how to make a difference through renewable electricity use.
Basics
- Be proactive in choosing how your electricity is generated
- Choose electricity generated from high quality renewable resources that meet national standards for quality and content
- Buy third-party certified green power products when possible
- Purchase from newer sources of renewable electricity generation
- Ensure your investment in renewable electricity is incremental to and goes above and beyond what you would have otherwise received due to mandates or as part of the standard delivered grid electricity
- Substantiate your purchase and use of green power through energy attribute certificates
- Follow best practices when communicating your use green power
Advanced
- Purchase renewable electricity that supports new project development
- Influence other consumers to purchase and use green power. This could include employees, value-chain network partners, load serving entities etc.
- Choose a purchase with greater environmental benefits like emission reductions
- Direct your renewable electricity investments towards having a more local impact
- Direct your renewable electricity investments to positively affect communities where you operate
- Invest in technologies (i.e., storage, transmission) that support greater penetration of renewable resources