Product and Resource Eligibility
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Product Eligibility
Partner organizations have the flexibility to use any of the following types of green power products in meeting EPA purchase requirements:
- Renewable energy certificates (RECs)
- On-site power generation from eligible renewable resources
- Utility products delivered through the grid
- Any combination of the above
The eligible renewable energy content of utility products can vary. EPA only recognizes the eligible renewable energy portion of a product toward the purchase requirement.
EPA recommends that organizations purchase certified and verified green power products as a matter of best practice. Product certification and verification ensures the quality of the product’s environmental attributes.
Resource Eligibility
Green power is a subset of renewable energy and represents those renewable energy resources and technologies that provide the highest environmental benefit. Buyers often purchase green power for its environmental and greenhouse gas reduction benefits. Green power resources must produce electricity with zero anthropogenic (caused by humans) emissions, have a superior environmental profile to conventional power generation, and must have been built after the beginning of the voluntary market (1/1/1997).
The following renewable resources are eligible in meeting EPA’s purchase requirements:
- Solar photovoltaic (PV)
- Wind
- Geothermal
- Eligible hydroelectric
- Eligible biomass
- Co-firing of eligible forms of biomass with non-renewables is accepted under certain conditions
- Biodiesel (B100)
- Fuel cells—using the above eligible fuels
For additional information, please refer to the Partnership Requirements (PDF) (19 pp, 690K, About PDF) or contact EPA directly.