buying green Electricity

Many utilities do not sell green electricity to their customers, and green-power suppliers may not exist in your state or sell power directly to retail customers. What to do then?

Your utility

Calling your utility and ask them about green electricity options (whether they sell or not green power) is often the first step.

Sometimes they resell green power, and you may want to continue to be supplied by your current utility...

Your utility vs. green power suppliers

Contracting with green power suppliers directly is rarely an alternative. They may not exist in your state or they may not supply retail customers directly.

In USA - and other countries with a green electricity supply system - you can do an online search to know the availability of green power suppliers: see the DOE's Green Electricity Map for green-power companies in your state.

Buying green electricity through RECs

Green Certificates is another way of buying and supporting green power, mainly is your utility doesn’t sell green power and there aren’t green power providers in you state. Certificates are currently available in all USA states, and also in countries like Canada or Great Britain.

See: Green Electricity Certificates

Considering the prices

Green power is usually a little more expensive than conventional electricity (2 to 3 cents per kWh on average). There are some cases of savings through green electricity, and past experiences when the cost of conventional power shot up and green electricity allowed savings, but that isn’t typical.

The motivation leading consumers to green power is environmental.

See:
Green Power Prices
Why paying more for green electricity