NC GreenPower- The REC for North Carolina's LEED Projects
NC GreenPower, GreenTech Consulting, Inc. and Newland Communities have combined forces in achieving the goal of having NC GreenPower Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) recognized by the US Green Building Council. Briar Chapel Community Building in Chapel Hill, NC, was the first LEED project to use the NC GreenPower product to meet LEED-NC v2.2 Energy and Atmosphere Credit 6: Green Power, and therefore, set a precedent for future projects wishing to use North Carolina's renewable energy resources to achieve this LEED point.
NC GreenPower has a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) product, also known in the retail market as Green tags, Renewable Energy Credits, or Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs). Retail RECs are tradable environmental commodities in the United States which represent proof that 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was renewable (generated from an eligible renewable energy resource).
A green energy provider is credited with one REC for every 1,000 kWh or 1 MWh of electricity it produces and feeds to the grid. Generally, with retail RECs, a certifying agency gives each REC a unique identification number to make sure it doesn't get double-counted and the accompanying REC can then be sold and traded on the open market. The identification number is retired when the REC is claimed by the customer.
NC GreenPower has a slightly different model from the retail REC program above since it work directly with the generator, does not sell on the open market, is independently verified by the utility through the dual meter, and retires the credit as soon as it is purchased by the customer (so that it cannot be double-counted). They sell 100 kWh block increments of renewable energy, mostly through its partnerships with utilities in the state. The nonprofit sells the "environmental attributes" of the renewable energy, and makes it easier for renewable energy generators to make an investment in a renewable energy system and creates an incentive to tie back to the electricity grid. Generators are sometimes also customers and therefore help to sustain the program.
The net gain for the North Carolina customer is to be a key player in distributing renewable power generator throughout the state, reducing the need for building additional coal and nuclear power plants and incinerators as our population grows. The program is closely managed, transparent and accountable so customers can be sure that there contribution goes to building a clean energy infrastructure. Contributions are tax deductible for the customer.
The Briar Chapel Community Building project team approached NC GreenPower about becoming a large volume customer. Large volume customers purchase 100 blocks or more of renewable energy at a rate of $.025 per kWh or $2.50 per 100 kWh block of renewable energy produced. To meet the intention of the LEED credit, Briar Chapel paid for 35% of their annual power usage for 2 years.
NC GreenPower is an independent, nonprofit organization which was established to improve North Carolina's environment through voluntary contributions toward renewable energy. A landmark initiative approved by the N.C. Utilities Commission, NC GreenPower is the first statewide green energy program in the nation supported by all the state's utilities and administered by Advanced Energy, an independent nonprofit corporation located in Raleigh, N.C.
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posted by Liz Bowen at
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