By 2025, 30% of the electricity consumed by the federal government is to come from renewable energy sources, according to Executive Order 13693: Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade. To achieve 30% renewable electricity by the 2025 target, the executive order established a hierarchy of practices for federal agencies.
- Install agency-funded renewable energy on site at federal facilities and retain corresponding renewable energy certificates (RECs) or obtain equal value replacement RECs.
- Contract for the purchase of energy that includes the installation of renewable energy on site at a federal facility or off site from a federal facility and the retention of corresponding RECs or obtaining equal value replacement RECs for the term of the contract.
- Purchase electricity and corresponding RECs or obtain equal value replacement RECs.
- Purchase RECs.
Learn more about purchasing off-site renewable electricity and RECs.
The practices above represent the priority in which agencies should consider obtaining renewable electricity. A higher-priority action may be considered and deemed less practical or cost-effective than a lower-priority action that is subsequently implemented. Learn more in the Implementing Instructions for Executive Order 13693.
In support of the 30% by 2025 target, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) analyzes renewable energy markets to identify achievable projects for federal agencies. As an example, FEMP created a series of maps and graphs that illustrate federal facility electricity consumption and renewable energy project potential at those facilities.