Steps to Become a Green Power Community
On this page:
- Step 1. Measure stakeholder interest
- Step 2. Ensure municipal government is willing to take green power leadership position
- Step 3. Understand the community-wide power and green power usage
- Step 4. Green power campaign (optional)
- Step 5. Partnership Agreement
- Step 6. Communicate partnership
- Step 7. Annual reporting
Community Choice Aggregations (CCAs)
- Step 1. Understand the community power usage
- Step 2. Partnership Agreement
- Step 3. Communicate partnership
- Step 4. Annual reporting
Local communities can partner with EPA to be recognized as a Green Power Community (GPC). The partnering entity can be a town, village, city, county, or tribal government in which the local government, businesses, and residents collectively use green power in amounts that meet or exceed EPA's Green Power Community usage requirements.
Most communities should follow the steps detailed directly below. Communities with community choice aggregations or municipal aggregations should follow these steps.
Step 1. Measure stakeholder interest
- Gauge interest among the community stakeholders (residents, businesses, etc.) in becoming a Green Power Community.
- Is there a healthy portion of the community using or interested in using renewable electricity?
- Is there a utility or supplier with a green power product that is active in your area?
Step 2. Ensure municipal government is willing to take green power leadership position
- The local government must join the Green Power Partnership as an organizational Partner and meet EPA minimum usage requirements. The local government can be a town, village, city, county, or tribal government.
- The city may decide to pass an ordinance/resolution committing to renewable electricity use.
- Encourage the municipality to pass an ordinance/resolution committing to the use of renewable electricity for its municipal operations.
Step 3. Understand the community-wide power and green power usage
Determine the community's annual base load electricity consumption within the geographical boundaries of the partnering community.
- Evaluate the current level or green power use by community members.
- Determine if your community meets, or will be able to meet, EPA's minimum green power use requirements to qualify as a Green Power Community.
- You may need to work with your supplier or local utility to determine the community-wide electricity use, which includes all electricity used within the municipality's borders.
Step 4. Green power campaign (optional)
If you have determined that your community needs to increase its green power usage, the local government (or its designee) can initiate a community-wide green power campaign to encourage local businesses and residents to use green power. Common elements of these campaigns include:
- Establishing a point of contact for the campaign within the community government.
- Conducting Kickoff events
- Publicly stating goals (increase number of subscribers by X percent)
- Coordinating with media
EPA is available to provide technical and outreach assistance as well as help identify different green power products that meet your organization's objectives and goals.
Step 5. Partnership Agreement
Once the community has met EPA's minimum green power usage requirement, the local government submits the Green Power Community Partnership Agreement (XLSX)(1 pg, 405 K) . Typically, the mayor or other government entity signs the Agreement on behalf of the community.
Upon receipt of the Green Power Community Partnership Agreement, the community will:
- Receive a welcome email from the Green Power Partnership program that includes a certificate of partnership, community mark, example social media posts, and other communication assistance opportunities.
- Receive two Green Power Community road signs.
- Be listed as an official Green Power Community on the EPA website.
Step 6. Communicate partnership
EPA offers support and guidance to help you effectively communicate to stakeholders and other interested parties the importance of your green power use and status as a Green Power Partner. Examples include:
- Press release and other marketing templates
- Examples of successful social media posts
- Quotes of agency officials highlighting Partner's green power use
Step 7. Annual reporting
To maintain your partnership, EPA requires Green Power Communities to report their ongoing community-wide green power usage information. EPA will send the Green Power Community primary contact their community's on-record green power use information and the Partner need only confirm or update the information.
Community Choice Aggregations (CCAs)
Community Choice Aggregations (CCAs) or Municipal Aggregations are currently available only in CA, IL, OH, MA, NJ, and RI, as enabled by state legislation. Most of the steps for a CCA partnership are the same as a Green Power Community partnership, with a few slight additions, due to the CCA structure.
Step 1. Understand the community power usage
Determine if your CCA locality meets the program's minimum green power usage requirements as a result of its CCA purchase.
Work with EPA. Make a purchase or install green power on-site in an amount that meets or exceeds EPA's green power use requirements.
Step 2. Partnership Agreement
An appropriate representative who can authorize partnership between the community and EPA submits the CCA locality's local government Green Power Community Partnership Agreement (XLSX) (1 pg, 496 K). Note that only the CCA locality is listed as a Green Power Partner.
Upon receipt of your organization's Partnership Agreement, you will receive a welcome kit by email from your assigned account manager. Communities are typically listed on EPA's website within a month of submitting their Partnership Agreement.
Step 3. Communicate partnership
EPA offers support and guidance to help you effectively communicate to stakeholders and other interested parties the importance of your green power use and status as a Green Power Partner. Examples include:
- Press release and other marketing templates
- Examples of successful social media posts
- Quotes of agency officials highlighting Partner's green power use
Step 4. Annual reporting
To maintain your partnership, EPA requires Green Power Communities to report their ongoing community-wide green power usage information. EPA will send the GPC primary contact their community's on-record green power use information and the Partner need only confirm or update the information. For more information on annual reporting, visit the Annual Reporting Requirements Web page.