Making it Easy for the Masses:
Renewable Choice Energy
Presentation by Alexandra Quinn
[email protected]
Energy Law, Fall 2010
Overview of Topics
• Renewable Choice Energy
– Renewable Energy Credits
– Green-E
– For Businesses
– For Home
– Bringing it back to Chicago
What is Renewable Choice Energy
• Founded in 2001 & located in Boulder, CO
• Primary goal is to tap into the growing
consumer demand for clean energy.
But How?
• This is accomplished by offering a way for
both large companies and individuals to
purchase renewable energy and carbon
offsets
Renewable Energy Credits (REC)
What is a REC?
• It is a certificate that represents that 1 mega
watt hour was produced by accepted sources
of renewable energy
• Can be sold or traded
Why Buy Them?
• Allows owner to show that they have
purchased and support renewable energy
• Helps to subsidize production
Potential Concerns
• How do we know the certificate is real?
• How do we know this clean energy is
produced?
• How do we know if the certificate is retired,
or if it is used over and over again?
?
Green-E
Green-E Certified REC
• Green-E certifies the validity of the REC
– Must be from approved source
•
•
•
•
•
Solar electric
Wind
Geothermal
Small scale hydropower
Certain forms of biomass
Other Green-E Duties
• Verify that the certificates followed through
upon
• Verify that used certificates are retired
Renewable Choice for Business
“Let us help you measure and understand your
environmental impact, so that you can
reduce it, save money, engage stakeholders
and gain a stronger competitive advantage.”
Options for Business
• Consulting Services
– Energy Audit
– Greenhouse gas inventory
– Sustainability aid
• Helps to reduce environmental impact
– Renewable Energy Credits
– Carbon Offsets
The biggest of them all….
Whole Foods & Renewable Energy
• Started working with Renewable Choice is
2003
• In 2009, purchased 776 million kilowatt hours,
equal to 100% of the company’s North
American locations.
Burt’s Bees
Burt’s Bees & Renewable Energy
• Burt’s Bees decided in 2007 to embrace the
renewable energy movement, and offset their
use 100%
• Wanted to impact not only their company
with this offset, but also wanted to help their
employees better understand and get more
involved with renewable energy.
• Created employee energy training
Performance Bicycle
Performance & Renewable Choice
• Wanted to add to their services in order to
differentiate themselves from competitors
• They are able to offer to their customers an
experience fully offset by renewable energy.
Renewable Choice for Home
“Be a leader. Reduce your environmental
impact. Choose wind for yourself, your family
and friends, and fight climate change!”
Making it Easy
• There is an online shop where you can
purchase energy offsets.
– “Individual Plan” - $5/Month for at least 12
months (3,000 kilowatt hours of wind power)
– “Wind Power Plan” - $15/Month for at least 12
months (9,000 kilowatt hours of wind power)
– Starter options on a buy per month basis
Travel Offsets
Green Your Phone?
“Renewable Choice has teamed up with BestBuy
to offer GREEN YOUR PHONE, a product which
provides consumers with a simple and
effective way to address the impact of mobile
phone electricity on the environment. ”
So Many Options….
• You can “follow” Renewable Source energy on
– Twitter
– Facebook
– YouTube
– Flickr
– StumbeUpon
– Technorati
– Delicious
– And, of course, Pandora
Summary
• This seems like a great idea – selling
renewable offsets to individual consumers
and businesses
• Working to make this concept easy to
understand
• Using a third part to guarantee against fraud
Bringing it Home
Goose Island: Getting Chicago Involved
• Goose Island, a Chicago based brewery, is one
of Renewable Choice’s clients
• They purchase enough renewable power to
offset 100% of their energy use
• Employees also worked together to ensure
96% of the brewery waste is reduced, reused,
or recycled.
Green Line Pale Ale
• They created a new ale, Green
Line, to raise awareness of
environmental issues. For each
pint sold, a donation is made
to the Nature Conservatory.
The End