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Resources for On-site Projects
What are on-site renewables?
On-site renewables produce electricity at an organization’s own facilities using eligible renewable energy resources. On-site renewable generation can increase power reliability, provide stable electricity costs, and help manage waste streams.
Some organizations choose to install on-site systems to visually demonstrate their commitment to green power and overall sustainability.
The technologies organizations can use for generating green power on-site include solar (photovoltaic [PV] panels), wind turbines, fuel cells, and biomass combustion. Some facilities might also be able to use recovered methane gas from a landfill or sewage treatment plant.
What are the advantages of on-site renewables?
On-site renewables provide the advantages of reliability and price
stability. In addition, when on-site renewables generate more power than
is needed on site, many states allow the excess power to be returned to
the electric grid for credit from the local electric utility. This process
is known as net-metering.
Installing on-site systems requires careful planning and, often, substantial capital investments. However, many states — as well as the federal government — provide both tax and funding incentives for on-site systems.
On-site power generation and the Green Power Partnership
The minimum purchase requirements to become a Green Power
Partner are the same for organizations considering on-site power
generation as they are for organizations that purchase green
power products. Regardless of green power product, the
Partnership requires that an organization’s purchase of
green power meet a particular percentage of its annual electricity
use. The determination of a Partner’s annual electricity
use is dependent on the level of participation the organization
chooses. For more information on the requirements for joining
the Green Power Partnership, please review the Partnership
Requirements (PDF) (19 pp, 690K, About PDF).
Resources
Many resources are available that provide more details
on on-site systems:
- The Guide to Purchasing Green Power (PDF) (50 pp, 1.1MB, About PDF) is referenced throughout this Web site, and contains detailed information on planning an on-site system.
- The Database of State Incentives
for Renewable Energy (DSIRE)
is
a comprehensive source of information on the status of local, state,
and federal programs and incentives promoting renewable energy, including
information on financial incentives, net metering policies, and awareness
and investment programs. - On-site renewable generation is a subset of distributed energy generation. For more information, please visit the Department of Energy's Distributed Energy Web site.
- North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). NABCEP offers national, credentialing and certifications for renewable energy professionals. NABCEP administers a certification program for solar electric installers, known as the NABCEPTM Solar PV Installer Certification. NABCEP now include solar thermal certification credentials.
- State Contractors License
Board. When working with a system developer or installer, it is
good practice to ensure that your contractor has the required license
and insurance to perform the work.