Green Power Partnership Resource Eligibility
EPA defines green power as a subset of renewable energy that includes those resources and technologies that provide the highest environmental benefit.
Renewable energy refers to a set of energy resources that are naturally replenishing, such as solar, wind, biomass, hydro, and geothermal. By comparison, fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, are not renewable since they are finite in quantity.
Green power resources produce electricity with zero anthropogenic (human-caused) emissions and have a superior environmental profile compared to conventional power generation. For the purposes of the Partnership, EPA requires that green power sources must have been built within the last 15 years in order to support the new renewable energy development requirement.
The following renewable resources are eligible in meeting EPA's usage requirements:
- Solar photovoltaic (PV)
- Wind
- Geothermal
- Some forms of hydroelectric
- Some forms of biomass
- Co-firing of eligible forms of biomass with non-renewables—accepted under certain conditions
- Biodiesel (B100)
- Fuel cells—using the above eligible fuels
Partners may use any of the following types of green power supply options in meeting EPA usage requirements:
| Green Power Procurement Strategy | Category | REC Ownership/ Retirement Required | Generation Asset Ownership | Electricity Delivered | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-generation, grid-connected | Self-gen | Yes | Buyer | Yes | On-site or Off-site |
| Self-generation, off-grid | Self-gen | No | Buyer | Yes | On-site |
| Physical Power Purchase (PPA) Agreement | Direct | Yes | Third party | Yes | On-site or Off-site |
| Financial/Virtual PPA | Direct | Yes | Third party | No | Off-site |
| Buy from Regulated Utility (i.e., green power pricing program) | Retail | Yes | Third party | Yes | Off-site |
| Buy from Competitive Supplier (i.e., green power marketing program) | Retail | Yes | Third party | Yes | Off-site |
| Unbundled RECs | Retail | Yes | Third party | No | Off-site |
The eligible renewable energy content of utility-based green power products can vary. EPA only recognizes the eligible renewable energy portion of a product toward the usage requirement.
EPA recommends that organizations purchase certified and verified green power products as a matter of best practice. Product certification and verification ensures the quality and content of the green power environmental attributes.