Buyer Beware: Greenwashing Renewable Energy Credits
Energy consumers in the region have received marketing materials from for-profit corporations offering “renewable energy” as an alternative to their regular power company’s services. Buyer beware! These companies are acting as middle men, buying RECs (Renewable Energy Credits) from investors in solar, wind, tidal, etc. and then re-selling those RECs to consumers at, typically, ten times their cost.
For people who live in dirty energy areas – without access to clean, low-cost hydro and/or local distributed renewable power – this offering provides a “feel good” opportunity to participate in renewable power. In the Pacific Northwest, with the clean, green and low-cost power we have, the RECs have no value – there is no offset of carbon and no cost savings.
You can read more about the “greenwashing of RECs” here: https://www.truthinenergysf.com/recs-truth/.
Please call your local electric co-op, OPALCO, if you have questions or want help understanding or comparing any energy marketing materials you may receive.
In addition to a fuel mix that is 85-95% clean, green hydro power, OPALCO will build its first Community Solar project in 2018, giving co-op members a way to invest in a specific and real local renewable energy resource tied into our member-owned and operated Co-op electric grid. Learn more about Community Solar and get on the list to receive project updates.
