EPA's Green Power Partnership
Partnership Requirements
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1 200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW (Mail Code 6202J)
Washington, DC 20460
www.epa.gov/greenpower
wti &EPA
HGREEN
POWER
PARTNERSHIP'
Last updated: June 2008
-------
Summary
Partner organizations can join at a facility level up to an organization-wide
commitment (U.S. facilities only).
Partner organizations must buy green power in amounts proportional to
their annual electricity use.
Eligible renewable resources include wind, solar, geothermal, qualifying
biomass, and low-impact hydropower.
Partner organizations can meet the minimum purchase requirements with
any of the following products (either singly or in combination): renew-
able energy certificates (RECs), utility green pricing products, utility green
marketing products, or on-site power generation from eligible renewable
resources.
Partner organizations must meet the minimum purchase requirements with
electricity produced from "new" renewable facilities.
EPA maintains the right to reevaluate and update the Partnership require-
ments at any time.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
Contents
I. Introduction 3
II. Eligible Organizations 3
III. Scope of Participation 3
IV. Incremental Green Power Requirement 3
V. Yearly Reporting Requirement 4
VI. Minimum Purchase Requirement 4
VII. Green Power Leadership Club Purchase Requirement (Optional) 4
VIII. Energy Efficiency Improvements and Buying Green Power 5
IX. Eligible Sources of Green Power 5
X. Eligible Green Power Products 6
XL Guidance on Purchasing Texas RECs from Non-wind Facilities 6
XII. Locating Green Power Products 6
XIII. "New" Renewables Purchase Requirement 7
XIV Green Power Vintage Requirement 7
XV Product Certification 7
XVI. Environmental Claims Guidance 7
XVII. Partner Recognition 9
XVIII. Partner Suspensions 9
XIX. Partnership Requirements Updates 10
XX. Contact EPA's Green Power Partnership 10
Appendix A Eligible Green Power Resources A-l
Appendix B Co-firing of Eligible Biomass B-l
Appendix C Partnership Agreement C-l
Appendix D Partner Yearly Report D-l
-------
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership
Partnership Requirements
I. Introduction
This document outlines the requirements for joining EPA's
Green Power Partnership (herein referred to as GPP or the
Partnership). The GPP is a voluntary program supporting the
increased use of green power to reduce the environmental
impacts associated with conventional electricity use. This docu-
ment complements the requirements presented in the program
Partnership Agreement (see Appendix C).
II. Eligible Organizations
The Partnership is open to all organizations operating within
the United States, except for sellers, suppliers, or marketers of
green power (i.e., "providers"). Partnership-eligible organiza-
tions include:
Publicly- and privately-held corporations
Federal, state, and local government agencies
Nonprofit organizations
Educational institutions
Providers are those organizations that sell, supply, or market
green power products. Providers may include: Utilities; renew-
able energy certificate sellers, brokers or distributors; on-site
renewable services providers; and others. EPA reserves the right
to withhold partnership to any organization that is perceived as
a seller, supplier, marketer, or provider of green power products.
The Partnership works with providers under a separate
framework.
Individuals and private residences are not eligible to join the
GPP, but they may find the information and resources available
through the Partnership useful in finding, evaluating, and buy-
ing green power products.
III. Scope of Participation
There are two levels at which an organization may join
the GPP:
1. Organization-wide (U.S. operations only)
2. Single facility or any logical aggregation of facilities less
than organization-wide
This flexibility provides organizations the opportunity to refine
their green power procurement strategies as they expand their
commitment over time.
Only organizations joining at the organization-wide level are
eligible for Green Power Leadership Club distinction (see Sec-
tion VII) and inclusion on the GPP's 100% Purchasers list.
IV. Incremental Green Power Requirement
EPA recognizes only voluntary green power purchases that
increase Partners' green power use above mandatory require-
ments, such as state renewable portfolio standard (RPS),
mandates placed on utilities, or load-serving entities or consent
decrees. All green power purchases counted by the GPP must
be incremental to what the Partner would have bought absent
proactive green power procurement.
In each of the following examples, renewable electricity gen-
eration is not considered green power and does not reflect an
environmental benefit for which the Partner could claim credit:
1. Renewable electricity generation used to satisfy RPS man-
dates or goals imposed by federal, state or local govern-
ments on utilities or load serving entities.
2. Renewable electricity generation included in an undiffer-
entiated power product (e.g., standard electricity service or
utility system mix).
3. Renewable electricity generation paid for by all customers
(e.g., in a utility's standard rates).
4. Renewable electricity generation from an eligible renew-
able generator that has been mandated by a local, state or
federal government agency (e.g., in a consent decree).
5. Renewable electricity generation purchased instead of pay-
ing a system benefits charge for renewable electricity (e.g., a
self-directed system benefits charge).
6. Renewable electricity generation purchased as part of a
Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) under a Clean
Air Act enforcement action.
The following are circumstances in which EPA has recognized a
purchase of renewable electricity generation as incremental:
1. The purchase is a result of an obligation placed on federal,
state, or local government agencies as end-users of energy
via a state or federal executive order.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
The purchase is included as a voluntary measure in a State
Implementation Plan (SIP) under the federal NOX Budget
Cap and Trade Program. Although SIPs are mandated,
they do not set mandatory requirements for the use or pur-
chase of renewable energy. Therefore, a purchase of green
power under a SIP is considered a voluntary purchase.
V. Yearly Reporting Requirement
Partners are asked to update EPA when a change occurs to their
green power purchase or partnership status. In addition, each
year, the GPP will provide each Partner's primary contact with
a Partner Yearly Report summarizing the organization's current
green power purchase and partnership status. Partners must
review, update, and return the Partner Yearly Report to EPA.
Partners that fail to return a Partner Yearly Report or otherwise
provide an update to EPA risk suspension. For additional infor-
mation, please see Section XVIII (Partner Suspensions).
A blank version of the Partner Yearly Report is available in Ap-
pendix D. Partners can review the data EPA has on file for their
organization by requesting a completed version of the Partner
Yearly Report from the GPP.
VI. Minimum Purchase Requirement
EPA requires that Partners meet a minimum percentage of their
annual electricity use with green power. Partners should calcu-
late their annual purchased electricity use in accordance with
their organization's scope of participation (i.e., facility level or
up to organization-wide) in the GPP.
Partners have up to one year from the date they submit a Part-
nership Agreement to buy green power in amounts that meet or
exceed EPA's minimum purchase requirements.
Assessing Your Organization's Minimum Purchase
Requirement
Organizations can take the following steps to assess their mini-
mum green power purchase requirement:
1. Decide the organization's scope of partnership (i.e., facility
level up to organization-wide / U.S. operations only)
2. Calculate the total annual electricity use for the scope of
partnership. Organizations can use recent utility bills to
estimate their projected electricity use.
3. Organizations that have no access to or control over elec-
tricity use or billing data (e.g., for leased space) can esti-
mate total electricity use based on square footage. Multiply
the total square footage of your chosen scope of partner-
ship by a factor of 14.9 kWh/sf/year (or .0149 MWh/sf/
year). This is a national average for U.S. commercial build-
ings of all space types1.
4. Organizations can use the table below to find the kilowatt-
hours range for their annual electricity use (i.e., their "base-
load") and identify the corresponding percentage of green
power required to meet EPA's minimum requirements.
Partners must meet their minimum purchase requirement with
"new" renewable resources. Partners that exceed the minimum
purchase requirement have the choice to meet the amount over
the minimum requirement with green power from eligible
generating facilities (i.e. those built before 1/1/1997). For added
information, see Section XIII ("New" Renewables Purchase
Requirement).
For a purchase to qualify for the GPP, Partner organizations
must retire, or not resell, the RECs associated with their green
power purchase. An organization's green power supplier may re-
tire the RECs on a Partner's behalf. This requirement prevents
two different parties claiming the same green power benefits.
Table I: Minimum Purchase Requirements
Your Organization's Baseload
If your annual electricity use in
Kilowatt-hours is. . .
> 100,000,001 kWh
10,000,001 - 100,000,000 kWh
1,000,001- 10,000,000 kWh
< 1, 000,000 kWh
Minimum Purchase Requirements a
You must, at a minimum, buy this much green power within one
year of joining the Partnership
2% of your use
3% of your use
6% of your use
10% of your use
The minimum purchase in kilowatt-hours (kWh) must be greater than the highest possible requirement in kilowatt-hours for the next lower benchmark level. For example,
an organization with a baseload electricity use of 100,000,500 kWh (2 percent benchmark level) would be required to buy 3,000,000 kWh a year minimum, which equals
the highest possible requirement for the 3 percent benchmark category.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
Owners of onsite systems that sell the RECs associated with the
system may no longer claim that the electricity they are using
is renewable. The electricity generated from an onsite system,
where the RECs have been sold, alone does not qualify in meet-
ing EPA purchase requirements. Partners may, however, replace
the RECs sold from an onsite system through a secondary green
power purchase in order to qualify for the GPP.
EPA will periodically review and update the minimum purchase
requirements to keep pace with the market and buyer patterns.
VII. Green Power Leadership Club Purchase
Requirement (Optional)
The Green Power Leadership Club (GPLC) honors Partners that
substantially exceed EPA's minimum purchase requirements for
an organization-wide commitment. EPA automatically includes
all Partner organizations making qualifying green power pur-
chases in the GPLC. No application process is required. EPA
does not limit the total number of organizations in the GPLC.
The GPLC is open only to Partners that are joining organiza-
tion-wide across all U.S. operations.
EPA identifies each Partner meeting the minimum GPLC
purchase requirement as a GPLC member on the GPP Web site.
Qualifying Partners also receive a GPLC plaque.
Partners must meet the entire minimum GPLC purchase
requirement with "new" renewable resources. Please refer to Sec-
tion XIII ("New" Renewables Purchase Requirement) for more
information. Partners may use eligible "existing" renewables for
purchase amounts beyond the minimum GPLC requirements.
GPLC purchases must meet all other requirements for product,
vintage, and resource eligibility.
Table 2 below identifies the GPLC percentage purchase require-
ment relative to an organization's baseload.
VIM. Energy Efficiency Improvements
and Buying Green Power
EPA encourages Partners to pursue energy efficiency improve-
ments and can refer Partners to ENERGY STAR* for more
information. Efficiency efforts may reduce Partners' total
electricity use. The GPP requires that Partners provide a yearly
update on electric load and green power purchasing: See Section
V (Partner Yearly Report). Partners can report efficiency-related
reductions in total electricity consumption through this process.
Table 2: Green Power Leadership Club Purchase Requirements
., _ ..,.. Green Power Leadership Club Purchase
Your Organization s Baseload _ . . .
0 Requirements bcd
If annual electricity use
(kilowatt-hours) is...
> 100,000,001 kWh
10,000,001 - 100,000,000 kWh
1,000,001- 10,000,000 kWh
Partner must, at a minimum, buy this much green power across its
entire U.S. operations
20% of your use
30% of your use
60% of your use
b Partners with an annual electricity use of less than one million kilowatt-hours a year are not eligible for the GPLC. EPA recognizes separately Partners that fall in this size
category and buy 100% green power.
c Partners must meet the minimum GPLC purchase requirement entirely with "new" renewables.
d The minimum purchase for the GPLC in kilowatt-hours (kWh) must be greater than the highest possible requirement in kilowatt-hours for the next lower benchmark
level. For example, an organization with a baseload electricity use of 100,000,500 kWh (20 percent benchmark level) would be required to buy 30,000,000 kWh a year
minimum, which equals the highest possible requirement for the 30 percent benchmark category.
Energy Information Agency, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey 2003 (CBECS): http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cbecs/cbecs2003/detailed_
tables_2003/2003set!5/2003pdf/cl4a.pdf
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
IX. Eligible Sources of Green Power
The GPP defines "green power" as a subset of renewable energy
that encompasses those renewable resources and technologies
that provide the highest environmental benefit.
Green power facilities must generate electricity with zero
anthropogenic (i.e., human-caused) emissions and have an envi-
ronmental profile superior to conventional power generation.
EPA requires that a Partner's full minimum purchase require-
ment be supplied from U.S.-based facilities built since the begin-
ning of the voluntary market (January 1, 1997).
The following are eligible green power resources:
Solar photovoltaic
Wind
Geothermal
Hydropower certified by the Low-Impact Hydro Insti-
tute. EPA will honor green power contracts in place be-
fore April 30, 2006 from hydropower installations of less
than 30-megawatt capacity until those contracts expire
(see Appendix A)
Eligible biomass (see Appendix A)
Co-firing of eligible forms of biomass with non-renew-
ables (acceptable under certain conditions as defined in
Appendix B)
Biodiesel-fueled (B100) generators
Fuel cells using eligible fuel sources listed above
For a more extensive explanation of eligible sources of green
power, please refer to Appendix A.
X. Eligible Green Power Products
Partners have significant flexibility in choosing types and com-
binations of green power products. The following product types
are acceptable:
Renewable energy certificates (RECs)
Utility green pricing products (in regulated utility mar-
kets)
Utility green marketing products (in deregulated utility
markets)
On-site power generation from eligible renewable re-
sources
The eligible green power content of utility green marketing or
utility green pricing products may vary. EPA recognizes only the
eligible green power portion of a product toward fulfilling the
GPP's purchase requirements. For example, if an organization
is buying a utility green power product composed of 50 percent
wind power, 10 percent large hydro power, and 40 percent con-
ventional power, only the 50 percent of that purchase derived
from wind power qualifies for meeting EPA's minimum pur-
chase requirement. Neither the large hydro power nor the con-
ventional power qualifies, as described in Section IX (Eligible
Sources of Green Power).
XI. Guidance on Purchasing Texas RECs from
Non-wind Facilities
Texas Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from non-wind facili-
ties that qualify for Compliance Premiums (CPs) are eligible
to meet the Partnership's purchase requirements if the RECs
and an equal amount of CPs from the same generating unit
are purchased and retired on behalf of the voluntary purchaser
in the same year. This will allow the Partner on whose behalf
the RECs and CPs were retired to make a complete renewable
energy claim regarding the non-wind renewable MWh they
used to satisfy the GPP requirements. This policy applies to all
non-wind renewable energy supply generated in Texas on or
after January 1, 2008. This policy does not affect Texas RECs
obtained from (1) non-wind facilities installed and REC-cer-
tified by the Public Utility Commission of Texas on or before
September 1, 2005, as these facilities do not qualify for CPs,
and, (2) energy generated from non-wind facilities on or before
December 31, 2007, as CPs are awarded for each REC only for
energy generated after December 31, 2007.
Below is the Substantive Rule 25.173(1).
(1) Target for renewable technologies other than wind power.
In order to meet the target of at least 500 MW of the total
installed renewable capacity after September 1, 2005, coming
from a renewable energy technology other than a source using
wind energy as set forth in subsection (a)(l) of this section, the
program administrator shall award compliance premiums to
certified REC generators other than those powered by wind
that were installed and certified by the commission pursuant to
subsection (n) of this section after September 1, 2005. A compli-
ance premium is created in conjunction with a REC.
1. For eligible non-wind renewable technologies, one compli-
ance premium shall be awarded for each REC awarded for
energy generated after December 31, 2007.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
2. Except as provided in this subsection, the award, retire-
ment, trade, and registration of compliance premiums shall
follow the requirements of subsections (d), (k) and (m) of
this section.
3. A compliance premium may be used by any entity toward
its RPS requirement pursuant to subsection (h) of this sec-
tion.
4. The program administrator shall increase the statewide RPS
requirement calculated for each compliance period pursuant
to subsection (h)(l) of this section by the number of compli-
ance premiums retired during the previous compliance
period.
XII. Locating Green Power Products
The GPP Web site hosts the Green Power Locator, a national
and state-by-state listing of available green power products:
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/pubs/gplocator.htm.
EPA does not endorse any provider or product listed in this
database.
XIII. "New" Renewables Purchase
Requirement
To support developing more renewable energy capacity nation-
wide, EPA requires that Partners meet their minimum green
power purchase requirements from "new" renewable energy
facilities. EPA defines "new" as those facilities put into service
on or after January 1, 1997. This date is generally considered to
be the inception of the voluntary green power market.2
EPA considers facilities put into service before January 1, 1997
to be "existing" generation facilities. Partners that exceed their
minimum purchase requirements have the choice to meet the
amount over the minimum requirement with eligible "existing"
renewables.
Facilities placed into operation before January 1, 1997 may
qualify as a "new" facility if one or more of the following condi-
tions are met:
1. The facility has been re-powered on or after January 1, 1997
such that 80 percent of the fair market value of the project
stems from new generation equipment installed as part of
the re-powering. Total fair market value is determined by
assessing the total costs of capital investments made as part
of the repowering of equipment and must include replace-
3.
4.
ment of the prime generating equipment. The total fair
market value must be assessed at the point in time when the
facility became operational after repowering.
A separable improvement to or a complete improvement of
an existing operating facility provides incremental genera-
tion that is separately metered from the existing generation
at the facility. In addition, if the incremental generation is
sold as a green power market product, then it must be con-
tractually available for sale and not claimed under a state
renewable portfolio standard or consent decree.
The facility is a biomass co-firing operation that meets the
eligibility requirements as described in Appendices A and B
and began co-firing eligible biomass with non-eligible fuels
on or after January 1, 1997.
The facility is a separately metered landfill gas resource that
was not used to generate electricity before January 1, 1997.
XIV. Green Power Vintage Requirement
The green power (megawatt-hours) produced by renewable gen-
erators is identified by the "vintage" year in which electricity is
generated (i.e. electrons delivered to the utility grid).
For example, the RECs associated with the renewable generation
of electricity by a wind facility during the 2007 calendar year
are considered to be 2007 vintage RECs.
For Partners' yearly purchase, EPA requires that Partners buy
green power products generated within that vintage year, up to
six months prior to that vintage year or up to three months after
the vintage year.
For example, a Partner purchasing green power for eligibility
in the Partnership in 2007 may select qualifying green power
generated at any point between July 2006 (six months prior to
the current calendar year) through calendar year 2007 and up
through March 2008 (three months after the vintage year).
The Partnership recognizes only green power purchases made
subsequent to an organization submitting a Partnership Agree-
ment.
XV. Product Certification
As a matter of best practice, EPA strongly encourages Partners
to buy green power products that are certified by an indepen-
dent third-party. Buying a certified green power product offers a
higher certainty to customers that they are receiving the desired
Exceptions may be made, on a case-by-case basis, for facilities placed online prior to 1997 that were developed specifically for utility green pricing programs.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
environmental benefits. Certified products also meet environ-
mental and consumer protection guidelines adopted by the
certifying organization as well as relevant guidelines set forth by
the National Association of Attorneys General and the Federal
Trade Commission.
EPA does not require Partners to buy certified products.
XVI. Environmental Claims Guidance
Buying or using green power enables Partners to make certain
environmental benefit statements or claims. Partner organiza-
tions should consider the following guidelines when calculating
and making environmental claims. EPA staff is available to assist
Partners with claims guidance questions.
1. Ensure your contractual right to make claims. You
should ensure that your green power purchase contractu-
ally conveys the full rights to the environmental benefits of
the generation source. Your organization must retain these
rights in order to make an environmental claim.
2. Ensure your purchase does not count towards a man-
date. Buyers of unbundled renewable energy certificates
(RECs) or bundled green power products should ensure
that their supplier is not also applying the underlying attri-
butes and environmental benefits to a mandate (e.g., a state
renewable energy portfolio standard [RPS]). Such a situa-
tion would constitute a double claim between you and
your supplier.
3. Make claims that match the scope of your purchase. If
you are buying green power for a subset of your organiza-
tion, you should communicate the scope of your purchase
when making your claims.
4. Retain ownership of RECs for on-site green power. If
you own an on-site renewable electricity generation source,
you should avoid selling the associated RECs of the on-site
source if you wish to make an environmental claim. Selling
the RECs transfers your claim on the renewable attributes
of the system to the buyer of the RECs.
5. Retire the RECs associated with your green power pur-
chase. Your organization should retire the RECs associated
with its green power purchase. Organizations should not
transfer or sell RECs after a claim has been made. Mak-
ing a claim constitutes a retirement of the REC; any sale or
claim by a different owner would constitute a double claim.
In taking these steps, you help avoid two different parties
claiming the same green power benefits.
6. Support your claims by buying certified or verified
green power products. If your organization is buying
green power, especially RECs, you should consider specify-
ing products that are independently certified and verified by
a third-party. Certification can provide credibility and con-
firmation of the product's environmental value. Verification
is based on an auditindependent of the providerthat
confirms that you get what was promised, both in quality
and in quantity. Audits ensure that no one else is making a
claim on the same environmental benefits.
7. Limit claims to indirect emissions. Your organization
should be careful when making claims of emissions reduc-
tions. If you are buying renewable electricity or RECs,
you are reducing your indirect emissions. Indirect emis-
sions are those resulting from electricity generation that an
organization buys from an electricity service provider. An
organization buying green power can claim to be reducing
its carbon footprint, but may not claim to be reducing its
total emissions to the atmosphere through a green power
purchase alone.
8. Avoid claiming emissions reductions not included in
your purchase. In emissions markets regulated by cap and
trade programs, such as with nitrogen oxides (NOX) and
sulfur oxides (SOX), your organization can claim an emis-
sion reduction only if it buys and retires emission allow-
ances. These allowances may be as part of, or separate from,
buying RECs.
9. Use the terms "REC" and "offset" correctly in your
claims. The term "offsets" has various definitions among
greenhouse gas registries and programs. Often, RECs are
not the same as offsets. In voluntary markets, offsets are
emissions reductions that are achieved through projects that
cause verifiable emissions reductions outside the scope of an
organization's direct or indirect emissions. In regulated cap
and trade programs, offsets can have a specific legal mean-
ing as a noun. Describe your purchase as avoiding emis-
sions, such as "This purchase of RECs avoids tons of
carbon dioxide (CO2)."
10. Use Emissions & Generation Resources Integrated
Database (eGRID) utility subregion non-baseload
emissions rates when calculating carbon equivalencies
resulting from a green power purchase. eGRID is a com-
prehensive inventory of environmental attributes of electric
power systems. The preeminent source of air emission data
for the electric power sector, eGRID is based on available
plant-specific data for all U.S. electricity generating plants
that provide power to the electric grid and report data to
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
XVII. Partner Recognition
Green Power Partner Mark
oEPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNER
the U.S. government. eGRID contains air emission data for
NOX, sulfur dioxide, CO2, and mercury. EPA has developed
a user-friendly carbon equivalency calculator to estimate
the environmental benefit of a green power purchase. The
equivalency calculator is located at http://www.epa.gov/
greenpower/pubs/calculator.htm For added information on
eGRID emissions rates, please see http://epa.gov/
cleanenergy/energy-resources/egrid/index.html.
11. Follow Federal Trade Commission and National Asso-
ciation of Attorneys General green marketing guidance.
These guides apply to environmental claims included
in labeling, advertising, promotional materials, and all
other forms of marketing, whether asserted directly or
implied through words, symbols, emblems, logos, depic-
tions, product brand names, or through any other means,
including marketing through digital or electronic means,
such as the Internet or electronic mail. The guides apply
to any claim about the environmental attributes of a product,
package, or service in connection with the sale, offering for
sale, or marketing of such product, package, or service for
personal, family, or household use, or for commercial, insti-
tutional, or industrial use. For added information please see
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm or http://
www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/pdfsnaag_0100.pdf.
How to Calculate Environmental Benefit Statements
To standardize and assist organizations in calculating environ-
mental benefits, the GPP has developed the Green Power Equiv-
alency Calculator (http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/pubs/calcu-
lator.htm). The equivalency calculator uses eGRID3 nonbaseload
national average and subregion emissions rates.4 Organizations
should use the Green Power Equivalency Calculator to estimate
the avoided emissions of a green power purchase. Partner orga-
nizations can use EPA's Power Profiler to estimate the emissions
associated with their conventional power use. Power Profiler
uses an eGRID baseload emissions factor.
Partners buying green power generated from landfill gas or
wastewater treatment methane may claim the indirect green-
house gas emissions reductions from displacing conventional
electricity. Organizations should not claim greenhouse gas
emission reductions from the direct capture and destruction of
methane; such claims are not often conveyed through the as-
sociated RECs or green power purchase.
3 eGRID is the Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that records average annual emission rates
(Ibs./MWh) by power plant. The database can be used to show average emission rates by utility state, region and nationally. It can be found at http://www.epa.gov/
cleanenergy/egrid/index.htm.
4 This would apply to claims of carbon reduction benefits that are not regulated by a cap and trade program. Note that claims about SO2 emissions reduction may not be
made by renewable energy generators unless they have acquired and subsequently retire SO2 emission allowances under the Acid Rain Program. Similarly providers and
Partners must be very careful about making claims for NOX emission reductions, which are capped in some states and vary by time of year.
Partners may use EPA's Green Power
Partner mark within the limits
described in the Partner Mark Use
Guidelines. Partners may use the mark
on Web sites, press releases, and general marketing materials to
show the organization's partnership with EPA. EPA is available
to review all uses of the Partner mark on Partner communica-
tion materials.
The Partner Mark Use Guidelines outline how Partners should
use the Partner mark in promoting their partnership with EPA.
In all cases, please notify EPA when using the Partner mark.
The guidelines are available at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/
documents/gpp_guidedoc_mark.pdf.
For added information about using the Green Power Partner
mark, please contact James Critchfield
(critchfield.james@epa.gov).
National Top Partner Lists
Partners can earn placement on one or more of EPA's Top Part-
ner lists. EPA updates these lists quarterly. The update schedule
and Partner data deadlines are available on the Partnership Web
site at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/
quarterlyschedule.htm.
Placement on EPA's Top Partner Lists provides excellent oppor-
tunities for Partners to announce new or increased green power
purchases. EPA's Top Partner lists currently include:
National Top 50 List
Fortune 500 List
Top 20 Retail List
Top 20 College & University List
Top 10 Federal Government List
Top 20 Local Government List
100% Purchasers List
EPA reserves the right to retire or modify existing listsor to
introduce new Top Partner listsat any time.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
Green Power Leadership Awards
The annual Green Power Leadership Awards recognize organiza-
tions and individuals that significantly advance the development
of green power resources and markets. The award nomination
period begins in the spring. Nominations are reviewed by EPA
and an independent panel of judges. The awards ceremony is
held in the fall at the National Renewable Energy Marketing
Conference. EPA recognizes winners in the following categories:
On-site Generation
Green Power Purchasing (any product type less on-site)
Partner of the Year
Winners must be EPA Green Power Partners in good standing.
For more details, visit the Awards page of the GPP Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/index.htm.
XVIII. Partner Suspensions
EPA requires that Partners update their partnership and green
power purchase status annually. Each year, EPA will provide a
Partner Yearly Report to each Partner's primary contact on re-
cord. Failure to respond to or meet the Partnership's minimum
requirements will result in the Partner's suspension from the
program. EPA will attempt to contact non-responsive Partners
by e-mail before beginning the suspension process. Suspension
entails removal of the Partner from all GPP materials, includ-
ing the Web site. Suspended Partners must remove all mention
of partnership from their marketing materials and Web sites,
including all uses of the Green Power Partner mark.
XIX. Partnership Requirements Updates
EPA will continue to monitor the green power market and
propose revisions to Partnership requirements as necessary.
Requirements subject to review include, but are not limited
to, minimum purchase requirements, GPLC purchase require-
ments, "new " renewables requirements, vintage requirements,
and eligibility of renewable resources. EPA will provide Partners
and stakeholders with the opportunity to review and comment
on any significant updates or proposed changes to the Partner-
ship requirements.
XX. Contact EPA's Green Power Partnership
For questions about the GPP, please contact:
Matt Clouse (clouse.matt@epa.gov or 202-343-9004)
Elaine Collison (collison.blaine@epa.gov or 202-343-9139)
James Critchfield (critchfield.james@epa.gov or 202-343-9442)
10
-------
EPA Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
Appendix A - Eligible Green Power Resources
The following is a detailed list of eligible renewable resources
that meet EPA's green power criteria:
1. Solar photovoltaics
Wind
Geothermal
2.
3.
4.
Hydropower from new generation capacity on a non-
impoundment or new generation capacity on an existing
impoundment that meets one or more of the following
conditions:
a. Hydropower facilities certified by the Low Impact
Hydropower Institute
b. Run-of-the-river hydropower facilities equal to or less
than 5 megawatts nameplate capacity
c. Hydropower facilities that consist of a turbine in a
pipeline or a turbine in an irrigation canal
EPA will consider new incremental capacity on an exist-
ing dam on a case-by-case basis, where the "new" output is
equal to or less than 5 megawatts.
EPA will honor green power contracts in place before
April 30, 2006 from hydropower installations of less than
30-megawatt capacity until those contracts expire.
EPA will review and consider ocean-based or tidal genera-
tion resources as warranted by technological, implementa-
tion and market developments.
5. Biomass, i.e., solid, liquid, and gaseous forms from the fol-
lowing fuels:
a. All woody wasteA
b. All agricultural crops or waste
c. All animal and other organic waste
d. All energy crops
e. Landfill gas and wastewater methane
f. Municipal solid waste, which is eligible if it meets EPA
requirements for co-firing of biomass with non-renew-
ables (see Appendix B).
Biomass resources excluded from eligibility include:
a. Wood that has been coated with paints, plastics, or
formica
b. Wood that has been treated for preservation with
materials containing halogens, chlorine or halide com-
pounds like CCA-treated materials, or arsenic. (CCA =
chromated copper arsenate)
Qualified wood fuels may contain de minimis quantities
(i.e., less than 1 percent of total wood fuel) of the above
excluded contaminates.
6. Biodiesel that is used to generate electricity is eligible if the
following conditions are met:
a. The biodiesel is separately measured (and verified) from
the petroleum diesel, and
b. Contracts are in place to allow a third party to verify
that the biodiesel was converted to electricity.
Only the amount of electricity generated from the biodiesel
may be counted as an eligible renewable resource.
7. Fuel cells are eligible when powered by hydrogen derived
from any of the eligible renewable resources identified
above.
A Includes "black liquor" from pulp and paper processing, mill residues, industrial waste wood, and waste wood from woodworking or wood processing, so long as the wood
is not chemically treated or coated.
A-1
-------
EPA Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
Appendix B - Co-firing of Eligible Biomass
1. Co-firing of eligible forms of biomass with non-renewables
is permitted if at least one of the following conditions
is met:
a. The facility is located in an electric system control area
that makes use of a generation tracking system (e.g.,
NEGIS, PJM-GATS, WREGIS) that is fully capable of
accurately measuring and reporting the differentiated
(i.e., biomass-fired and non-biomass-fired) electrical
output from the facility; or,
b. The biomass is in a gaseous or liquid state, is separately
metered and there are contracts in place to verify that
the biomass portion was converted to electricity; or,
Facilities that do not meet either of the criteria above may
be eligible subject to a case-by-case review by EPA. The
methodology presented to EPA must demonstrate that the
Btu value of the electrical output from the facility is attrib-
uted to the eligible biomass fuel. Some of the criteria that
EPA will consider in making its decision are:
a. Whether the facility was modified to accept
biomass fuel.
b. Whether an independent entity is involved in verifying
or determining the appropriate measurement.
c. Whether there is a way to determine and ensure that
the net electricity increment being sold as or considered
"renewable" can be attributed to eligible biomass fuel.
EPA would prefer a verification methodology that can
be applied universally.
Only the amount of electricity generated from the eligible
biomass may count towards the EPA criteria.
Appendix C - Partnership Agreement
Partnership Agreement found on pages C-l and C-2.
Appendix D - Partner Yearly Report
Partner Yearly Report found on pages D-l and D-2.
B-l
-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
greement
OMB Control No. 2060-0578
Approval Expires 04/30/2009
&EPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNERSHIP"
The EPA Green Power Partnership encourages the voluntary use of green power to reduce
the risk of climate change. Partners benefit from the use of green power, while supporting
the development of new, renewable energy in the United States.
With this agreement,
J joins EPA's Green Power Partnership and commits to:
(Name of organization or entity)
Buy green power that meets or exceeds Partnership requirements within one year of signing this Partnership Agreement.
Report on green power purchasing activities annually.
Use the Green Power Partner mark in a manner that is consistent with Partner mark use guidelines, available at
www.epa.gov/ green power/partner_corner.
In return, EPA commits to:
Provide public recognition.
Provide procurement and communications assistance, as requested by Partner.
Provide a brief description of the Partner's green power commitment on the Green Power Partnership Web site.
General Terms:
Either party can terminate this agreement at any time without prior notification or penalties and with no further obligation. EPA will
not comment publicly regarding the withdrawal of Partners.
Partner agrees that the activities it undertakes connected with this voluntary agreement are not intended to provide services to the
federal government and that the Partner will not seek compensation from a federal agency.
Partner agrees that it will not claim or imply that its participation in the Green Power Partnership constitutes EPA approval or
endorsement of anything other than its participation in the program and will not make statements or imply that EPA endorses the
purchase or sale of the Partner's products and services or the views of the Partner's organization.
EPA may post information about the Partner's purchase publicly, but will honor all requests to keep the Partner's purchasing data
and/or electricity use confidential.
EPA may use the Partner's logo in selected marketing materials. This added benefit is available only to Partners that have joined
the Green Power Partnership and have completed a green power purchase for all their U.S. facilities.
EPA may periodically revise program benchmark levels or other eligibility requirements.
Authorizing Official:
On behalf of Q
(Name of organization or entity)
J, the undersigned understands and agrees to the terms of the Green Power Partnership.
Signature:
Print Name:
Title: [
Date: [
Primary Contact:
Name:
Title:
Address: Q
1
City:
Phone:
E-mail:
State: Zip:
] Fax^
Public Relations Contact (optional).
Title:
City:
3:L
1
sss: [_
1
| | State: Zip:
e: F Fax:
Lil:[;
REEMENT TO 202/343-2208
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
C-l
-------
Partner Information
1. Partner's electricity use:
2. Partner's green power commitment: L
kWh / year
kWh / year
3. Partner Web page on green power use:
4. Completed green power purchase? OYes O No
If yes, please provide the following information:
Contract details effective date:
Green power products ^renewable electricity product _JRECs ] on-site generation
Green power resource mix % solarl |% wind % geothermal % biomass
% biogas _J% hydro (small or low-impact)
Product certification/verification OYes ONO If yes, by whom?
Green power retailer(s) or providers) \_
If we have additional questions, may we contact your providers) for additional information?
Key Partnership Requirements
ireen Power Purchase Requirements
Your Organization's
Baseload
If your annual electricity use
in kilowatt-hours is...
> 100,000,001 kWh
10,000,001 -100,000,000 kWh
1,000,001 -10,000,000 kWh
<1,000,000 kWh
Green Power
Partner
Requirements
You must, at a minimum,
purchase this much green
power within one year of
joining the Partnership
2% of your use
3% of your use
6% of your use
10% of your use
Green Power
Leadership Club
Requirements
You must, at a minimum,
purchase this much green
power
20% of your use
30% of your use
60% of your use
Not Applicable
Partners must acquire electricity generated from
eligible renewable resources, which include solar,
wind, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and
eligible hydropower.
Partner commitment can be met with any
combination of green power products (i.e., green
power, RECs, or on-site generation).
Partner purchases must be voluntary and incremental
to the renewable electricity included in the standard
electricity service.
Minimum Partner and Leadership Club purchase
requirements must be entirely met with power from
"new" renewable facilities (i.e., installed after 1/1/1997).
More details are available in the Program Requirements Memo, http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/documents/gpp_partnership_reqs.pdf
The government estimates the average time needed to fill out this form is 4.9 hours and welcomes suggestions for reducing this level of effort. Send comments
(referencing OMB control number) to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S. EPA (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460.
PLEASE FAX THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO 202/343-2208
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Air and
Radiation (6202J)
EPA-430-K-05-013
www.epa.gov/greenpower
November 2006
C-2
-------
SEPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNERSHIP"
Partner Yearly Report
Email or fax the corrected Yearly Report to:
Blaine Collison
Phone: (202)343-9139
Email: collison.blaine@epa.gov
Fax: (202)343-2208
The Green Power Partnership asks Partners to provide information annually on green power usage as it relates
to program commitments. Please update your organization's information below. If possible, use the "track
changes" feature found on the Tools menu in MS Word. Send the revised Partner Yearly Report to your
account manager identified above. Please contact your account manager with any questions.
Green Power Partner Name
Name:
Title:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Ph:
Fax:
Email:
Our Organizational Liaison
Our Public Relations Liaison
Commitment Details
Partnership Agreement Date (i.e. date that we joined
partnership):
Yearly Report Date (i.e. today's date):
Our Total Annual Electricity Consumption:*
Our Annual Green Power Commitment:
Our Green Power Commitment as a % of our total electricity
consumption:
Our minimum commitment level for the Green Power
Partnership based on our organization's size:
Our green power product's % of "new" renewables (as a % of
the total green power purchase):
Purchase Details:
*Note: 1 MWh = 1,000 kWh
Our Green Power Retailer(s) is:
Our Green Power Product name (if applicable) is:
Our Green Power Product is certified by a 3rd party?
Delivered electricity product (green pricing program)
Delivered electricity product (green marketing program)
Renewable energy credits (tags, green certificates)
On-site generation (e.g. photovoltaics on our facilities)
Green Power Product Source Information
Our Green Power Product includes the following mix of renewable resources:
Solar
Wind
Geothermal
Biogas
Biomass
Hydro
D-l
-------
(GREEN Partner Snapshot
Email or fax the completed Snapshot to:
PARTNERSHIP9 Account Manager
Phone
Email
Fax
The Green Power Partnership is updating the list of all Green Power Partners on its website at
www.epa.gov/greenpower.
All Green Power Partners have the opportunity to have a Partner Snapshot on the website. The Partner
Snapshot is a short paragraph that describes briefly a Partner's organization, its decision to purchase green
power, and its experience to date with green power.
If you would like to create a new (or revise your existing) Partner Snapshot, please answer the Partner
Snapshot Interview Questions below.
Current Snapshot for Your Organization (if applicable):
Snapshot:
Organization's Website:
Organization's Green Power
Related Web site (e.g.
environmental page or press
release about purchase):
Partner Snapshot Interview Questions
If you would like to create a new (or revise your existing) Partner Snapshot, please answer the Partner
Snapshot Interview Questions below. Your answers will be used to develop a Snapshot paragraph, which
you will able to approve prior to its addition to the website. Please add any additional information relevant
to your purchase.
1. Please provide a brief description of your organization (e.g., 25 words or less).
2. What is your organization's green power commitment?
3. What was the driver behind your organization's commitment?
4. Any lessons learned during your green power commitment process you would like to share with others?
5. What are the biggest benefits that have accrued to your organization since your commitment?
6. Can you provide a quote from about the benefits of green power for your organization? (For example, a
quote from senior decision maker at your organization.)
D-2
------- |