EE Credit: Green Power and Carbon Offsets

(1-4 points)

Applicable to: Cities & Utilities, Campuses, Transit

INTENT

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging development and adoption of renewable energy technologies at a large scale.

REQUIREMENTS

All projects

Purchase green power, renewable energy certificates (RECs), and/or carbon offsets to mitigate the environmental impacts of project energy consumption.

Contract for qualified resources that have come online since January 1, 2005, for a minimum of five years, to be delivered at least annually.

Green power and RECs must be Green-e Energy certified or the equivalent. Carbon offsets may be used to mitigate emissions on a metric ton of carbon dioxide–equivalent basis and must be Green-e Climate certified or the equivalent. Carbon offsets must be purchased from recognized greenhouse gas emission reduction projects within the country where the project is located.

Renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) are also acceptable. PPAs must be signed within one year of the date of registration for PEER certification. The purchase of green power is valid only if the project starts receiving green power within one year of the registration date and only until the end date of the signed PPA.

Determine the percentage of energy consumption addressed by green power, RECs, and/or carbon offsets. Calculate the percentage as follows:

Calculate the energy purchased through RECs as follows:

Points are awarded according to Table 1.

Table 1. Points for renewable energy

Renewable Energy (%)		Points
Cities & Utilities	Campuses & Transit
> 10	> 20	1
20	40	2
30	60	3
50	80	4

 

ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PATH

Projects in India may purchase RECs sold on power exchanges that operate REC trading with approval from the India Central Electricity Regulatory Commission. Both solar and non-solar energy are eligible renewable sources for this credit.

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