To offset their use of electricity generated from high-carbon fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, consumers across the country—including businesses and municipalities—have the ability to purchase clean electricity from utilities or third-party providers. The demand for this voluntary green power has, since 2004, exceeded the amount that utilities are required to purchase in order to meet state renewable electricity standards (which currently exist in 29 states plus the District of Columbia).

In 2007, for example, consumers voluntarily purchased more than 18 billion kilowatt-hours of green power, equivalent to the output of five 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants. While these purchases represent only a small percentage of total U.S. electricity sales, they represent more than 17 percent of all non-hydro renewable electricity generation and are thus a major driver of increased renewable energy development.

As a national policy to reduce carbon emissions takes shape, including a cap on emissions from the biggest polluters, it will be important to ensure that voluntary green power programs can continue to make a difference. UCS is working to ensure that emissions reductions associated with voluntary purchases are subtracted from the emissions cap; these purchases help reduce demand for conventional electricity, making it easier for power plants to achieve the required emissions reductions.

To learn more about green power programs, visit the UCS website at www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/what_you_can_do/buy-green-power.html.