Renewable Energy
Benefits of Renewable Energy Meet real estate portfolio GHG emission reduction/reporting goals Use energy that produces no GHG emissions from fossil fuels and reduces air pollution Mitigate climate change
Definition of Renewable Energy What IS Considered Renewable Energy The EPA defines renewable energy as electricity generated by fuel sources that restore themselves over a short period of time and do not diminish. Such fuel sources include the sun, wind, moving water, biomass and geothermal. What is NOT Considered Renewable Energy Natural gas, nuclear, combined cycle gas turbine and Combined Heat and Power (cogeneration) are not considered to be renewable energy, despite being less carbon intensive than other means of electricity production such as coal.
How to Obtain Renewable Energy Renewable energy can be acquired through three primary supply options: Onsite Renewable Generation Renewable Electricity Products Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Onsite Renewable Generation Onsite renewable energy is renewable energy generated onsite at the property to meet some or all of the building s energy requirements. The emissions from onsite renewable energy are zero! The Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) associated with onsite renewable energy can be sold to other companies.
Renewable Electricity Products Renewable energy generated offsite from the property that is provided by utility companies that is above and beyond the standard grid mix of electricity. Renewable energy is generated offsite by the utility Amount of renewable energy is above what the utility is required to provide by law In regulated utility markets, some local utilities may offer green pricing products as an additional service, typically at a premium In deregulated utility markets, buyers have the option to choose a specific electricity service provider that offers electricity from renewable sources, typically at a premium
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are tradable certificates widely used to establish environmental claims associated with buying or using green power. A REC is a certificate that represents the generation of 1 MWh of electricity from renewable energy Unlike renewable electricity products, RECs are sold separately from an underlying energy service. RECs can be purchased as a stand-alone product Buyers have the flexibility to choose RECs from a diverse geographical area. LEED-certified buildings may purchase Green-e Energy-certified RECs (or the equivalent) to earn LEED points
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
Tracking/Reporting Transparency in sustainability data has become increasingly important in real estate. One way to demonstrate the success of GHG emissions reduction strategies is through the tracking and reporting of emissions data. Real estate portfolios can benefit from increasing the use of renewable energy and therefore decreasing emissions by reporting data to: LEED earn points towards LEED certification GRESB earn points for like-for-like GHG emissions reduction and percentage renewable energy used CDP report GHG emissions to the CDP for voluntary or mandatory compliance GRI report GHG emissions in a sustainability report using the GRI framework
THANK YOU! Mychele Lord 214-369-3990 mychele@lordgreenstrategies.com www.lordgreenstrategies.com