What is a REC?

What are renewable energy certificates?

Everyone would like to enjoy the benefits of clean, renewable power, but most people don't have the space to put a 200 foot tall wind turbine in their backyard. Renewable Energy Certificates make it possible for you to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy without the hassle of owning your own equipment.

How does it work?

In order to understand how Renewable Energy Certificates work, we need to examine how electricity arrives at your home. That process involves transmission lines and electrical hardware known as "the grid". Power plants produce electricity and place it on the grid. Homes and other buildings pull electricity off the grid. Unfortunately, once electricity enters the grid it is impossible to distinguish renewable electricity from electricity coming from a different source, like a power plant. This is a problem because not all electricity is created equal.

The reality is, electricity produced by a renewable power source like a wind farm is not the same as electricity produced by a power plant, even if the electrons are indistinguishable. Renewable energy is sustainable, domestically produced, and clean. No CO2. No acid rain. No heavy metals. No particulate pollution. That means healthier people and healthier environments. That is what purchasing renewable energy is all about.

Enter the Renewable Energy Certificate.

Renewable Energy Certificates act like a tracking system. Every time a renewable power producer produces a unit of power of energy, it also produces one Renewable Energy Certificate. A renewable energy certificate is like a seal of approval that electricity was produced by a clean, renewable source and it represents all of the benefits of clean power like clean air and reduced pollution. Renewable Energy Certificates are sold separately from the electricity itself and when you purchase them you get to claim the environmental benefits, converting your standard electricity into renewable power.

The result?

Renewable Energy Certificates make it easy to convert your electricity to renewable energy without all of the hassle of installing solar panels on your roof. Better yet, your purchase directly supports renewable energy producers, since producers get a premium for selling their certificates. This drives demand from alternatives like fossil fuels. The more you purchase, the cleaner the world gets for everyone.

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