Description
This online engineering PDH course describes how local governments can advance climate and energy goals by procuring or purchasing green power to meet their electricity needs. Green power is a subset of renewable energy that is produced with no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, typically from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, or low-impact hydroelectric sources. It includes three types of products: utility products (for example, green power purchased from the utility through the electricity grid), renewable energy certificates (RECs), and on-site generation. The course outlines how local governments can work with utilities, local businesses, nonprofit groups, residents, state agencies, and green power marketers and brokers to purchase green power. The course describes the benefits of green power procurement; measures for purchasing green power; policy mechanisms that local governments have used to support green power purchases; and implementation strategies for effective programs. Two case studies of local govern¬ments that have comprehensive programs in place for purchasing green power are presented.
This course is based on the Environmental Protection Agency document, “Green Power Procurement, A Guide to Developing and Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs” 2014, from the EPA’s Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy Series.
- Saving energy and reducing emissions of GHGs through the use of green power
- Increasing energy security through energy portfolio diversification
- Navigating the green power marketplace
- Understanding RECs
- Understanding utility products
- Implementing on-site generation
- Negotiating terms of green power purchases