Green Electricity: A Buyer’s Guide

The process of generating electricity for our daily activities can create a range of negative impacts, including the release of greenhouse attendant effects on human health and the environment, as well as habitat destruction and depletion of valuable nonrenewable resources. We, as a society, are starting to demand electricity with less environmental impact and green electricity can help respond to this demand.

Some governmental jurisdictions now require that a specific percentage of the electricity purchased by their agencies must come from green sources.  For example, in the United States, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires federal agencies to purchase 3 percent of their electricity from renewable sources beginning in fiscal year 2007, increasing to 7.5 percent in 2013.

This report from the North American Green Purchasing Initiative of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation offers a primer on sourcing renewable energy, including six steps a buyer should follow to purchase green power.