One of the easiest ways that businesses can show their sustainable commitment is to purchase renewable energy certificates or RECs. Buying RECs require no physical change to a business’ facility and we’ve found that many companies choose to participate in a REC program specifically for the marketing benefits that it can provide.
Marketing claims about using renewable electricity or RECs, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the use of renewable electricity, or receiving any other environmental benefits of renewable energy use constitute making an environmental claim. REC customers must be careful when making environmental claims, which is why we provide our customers with a “green marketing” package, including easy-to-use guidelines that document how to communicate an environmental accomplishment with others.
For example, customers can say that their REC purchase:
- Support demand for building new, clean wind power.
- Matches the designated purchase of their company’s expected annual energy use (review the agreement or Product Label for the specific designated purchase.)
- Demonstrates their organization’s commitment to operate in an environmentally responsible manner.
The most significant benefit of renewable energy is that it creates low or no emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Generating electricity from renewable sources prevents emissions that would otherwise be released from fossil fuel generation. In other words, when renewable energy generation is delivered to the grid it prevents a more polluting source such as natural gas from being used to generate an equivalent amount of electricity*. This is also referred to as making claims about reduced or avoided emissions.
When making claims about reduced or avoided emissions, ensure you are specifying the emissions associated with your electricity use (also known as Scope 2 emissions).
- RECs can only be used to make reduced emission claims in the electricity that you use. Your Product Label will tell you the tons and pounds of CO2 emissions that are avoided based on the amount of RECs you have purchased. Please refer to the bottom of your Product Label, under Renewable Energy Certificate Carbon Equivalents.
- Scope 2 emissions are those greenhouse gases released when electricity you buy from the grid is produced. By matching grid electricity use with RECs, you can make claims to the clean energy benefits of those RECs rather than the emission characteristics of the grid power.
The guidelines, mentioned above, include more tips. If you are one of our REC customers and want to know more about how you can market your green purchase, contact your Constellation Business Development Manager.
Stay tuned for the next part of this mini-series, which will discuss what our customers can do to promote their renewable energy purchase.
*Best Practices in Public Claims for Green Power Purchases and Sales, Oct 7, 2010, version 1.1. Center for Resource Solutions.