GUIDE TO PURCHASING GREEN POWER - The Definition of Green Power * Benefits and Costs of Green Power * Options for Purchasing Green Power * Renewable Electricity Products * Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) * On-site Renewable Generation * Steps to Purchasing Green Power * Identifying Key Decision Makers * Gathering Energy Data * Choosing Green Power Options * Procuring Renewable Electricity and Renewable Energy Certificates * Developing Criteria for Screening Suppliers and Products * Collecting Product Information * Creating a Procurement Plan * Planning an On-site Renewable Generation Project * Screening the Technologies * Obtaining Resources and Assistance * Creating a Project Plan * Anticipating Possible Barriers * Installing and Operating an On-site Renewable Generation System * Capturing the Benefits of the Purchase * The Environmental Benefits * Internal Promotion * External Promotion * Glossary * Green Power Considerations for Federal Agencies. "The Guide to Purch! asing Green Power is intended for organizations that are considering the merits of buying green power as well as those that have decided to buy it and want help doing so. The Guide was written for a broad audience, including businesses, government agencies, universities, and all organizations wanting to diversify their energy supply and to reduce the environmental impact of their electricity use. The Guide provides an overview of green power markets and describes the necessary steps to buying green power. Chapter 1 describes the concepts of renewable energy and green power and discusses their differences from traditional energy sources. Chapter 2 defines three types of green power products: renewable electricity, renewable energy certificates, and onsite renewable generation. Renewable electricity is generated using renewable energy resources and delivered through the utility grid; renewable energy certificates (RECs) represent the environmental, social, and other positive a! ttributes of power generated by renewable resources; and on-site renewable generation is electricity generated using renewable energy resources at the end-user's facility. Chapter 3 summarizes the benefits and costs of purchasing green power. Chapter 4 describes in detail the three main green power products, including the alternative renewable electricity products, the details of RECs transactions, and the technologies that can be used to harness on-site renewable resources. Chapter 5 outlines the general steps needed to prepare to buy green power. Chapter 6 discusses the steps to procure renewable electricity or renewable energy certificates. Chapter 7 describes the steps to establish an on-site renewable energy system. Chapter 8 explores ways of taking advantage of promotional opportunities after buying green power. Chapters 9 and 10 of the Guide conclude with a list of resources offering more information about all aspects of green power."
GREEN POWER MARKETING IN THE UNITED STATES (2004) – "Voluntary consumer decisions to purchase electricity supplied by renewable energy sources represent a powerful market support mechanism for renewable energy development. Beginning in the early 1990s, a small number of U.S. utilities began offering "green power" options to their customers. Since then, these products have become more prevalent, both from utilities and in states that have introduced competition into their retail electricity markets. Today, more than 50% of all U.S. consumers have an option to purchase some type of green power product from a retail electricity provider. Currently, about 15% of utilities offer green power programs to customers in 34 states. The term "green pricing" is typically used to refer to these utility programs offered in noncompeti