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
SEPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNERSHIP'
Last updated: January 201 3
-------
Summary
• Partner organizations can join at a facility level up to an organization-wide
commitment (U.S. facilities only).
• Partner organizations must procure 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 usage requirements with any
of the following products (either singly or in combination): renewable ener-
gy certificates (RECs), utility green pricing products, utility green market-
ing products, or on-site power generation from eligible renewable resources.
• Partner organizations must meet the minimum usage requirements with
electricity produced from "new" renewable facilities.
• EPA holds the right to reevaluate and update the Partnership requirements
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 Usage Requirement 4
VII. Green Power Leadership Club Usage Requirement (Optional) 6
VIII. Energy Efficiency Improvements and Buying Green Power 6
IX. Eligible Sources of Green Power 6
X. Eligible Green Power Products 7
XL Guidance on Purchasing Texas RECs from Non-wind Facilities 7
XII. Locating Green Power Products 7
XIII. "New" Renewables Usage Requirement 7
XIV Green Power Vintage Requirement 8
XV Product Certification 8
XVI. Environmental Claims Guidance 9
XVII. Partner Recognition 10
XVIII. Partner Suspensions 11
XIX. Partnership Requirements Updates 11
XX. Contact EPA's Green Power Partnership 11
Appendix A— Eligible Green Power Resources A-l
Appendix B — Co-firing of Eligible Biomass B-l
Appendix C — Partnership Agreement C-l
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership
Partnership Requirements
I. Introduction
This document outlines the requirements for joining EPA's
Green Power Partnership (GPP). The GPP is a voluntary pro-
gram supporting the increased use of green power to reduce the
environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity
use. This document 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
• Nonprofits
• 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 frame-
work.
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% Green Power Users
list.
The Partnership requires that Partners with branded franchise1
facilities clearly state in any public disclosure whether or not the
purchase scope includes such branded facilities. EPA requires
this disclosure since franchised facilities not owned by a Partner
may still be branded with the Partner's name, and as a result a
Partner's claim of purchasing green power may give the impres-
sion that similarly branded but independently operated facilities
are also purchasing green power.
Partners may claim to be purchasing "organization-wide"
(U.S. facilities only), meaning facilities owned and operated by
the Partner—but excluding franchise facilities—or including
co-branded or facilities operating under franchise agreements.
Either way, the Partner may claim to be using green power, but
the chosen organizational categorization must be clearly stated
in any public disclosure. Partners purchasing organization-wide
(under either scope) are eligible for the Green Power Leadership
Club and the 100% Green Power Users list.
With respect to rented or leased space, only the party purchas-
ing the green power may make environmental claims. This will
avoid both the lessor and the lessee making claims on the same
green power. However, both renter and owner may buy green
power for a single facility in order to make the same green
claims about that facility.
IV. Incremental Green Power Requirement
EPA recognizes only voluntary green power purchases and
on-site generation that increase Partners' green power use above
mandatory requirements, such as state renewable portfolio
standards (RPS), mandates placed on utilities, or load-serving
entities or consent decrees. All green power use counted by
the GPP must be incremental to what the Partner would have
bought absent proactive green power procurement.
1 A franchise agreement constitutes any agreement in which one organization's products, brand name, business model, facility, operational structure, or other goods and
services are granted to another organization.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
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 is used to satisfy RPS
mandates or goals imposed by federal, state or local govern-
ments on utilities or load serving entities.
2. Renewable electricity generation is included in an undiffer-
entiated power product (e.g., standard electricity service or
utility system mix).
3. Renewable electricity generation is being paid for by all
customers (e.g., in a utility's standard rates).
4. Renewable electricity generation comes from an eligible re-
newable generator that has been mandated by a local, state
or federal government agency (e.g., in a consent decree).
5. Renewable electricity generation is purchased instead of
paying a system benefits charge for renewable electricity
(e.g., a self-directed system benefits charge).
6. Renewable electricity generation is purchased as part of a
Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) under a Clean
Air Act enforcement action.
7. Renewable electricity generation is sourced from a state
that has a mandatory GHG cap in place for power plant
emissions or similar regulatory mechanism, unless emission
allowances are retired on behalf of the renewable energy
buyer, such as in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
(RGGI). For purchases from those states to be eligible and
result in GHG emission reduction claims, Green Power
Partners should communicate with their provider about
whether the necessary administrative steps are being taken
to secure this result.
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.
2. 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 use 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 use 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 other-
wise provide an update to EPA risk suspension. For additional
information, please see Section XVIII (Partner Suspensions).
Partners can review the data EPA has on file for their organiza-
tion by requesting a completed version of the Partner Yearly
Report from the GPP.
VI. Minimum Usage Requirement
EPA requires that Partners meet a minimum percentage of
their annual electricity use with green power. Partners should
calculate their annual electricity use in accordance with their
organization's scope of participation (i.e., facility level or up to
organization-wide) in the GPP.
Partners must procure green power in amounts that meet or
exceed EPA's minimum usage requirements by the time they
submit a Partnership Agreement.
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 sup-
plier may retire the RECs on a Partner's behalf. This require-
ment prevents two different parties claiming the same green
power benefits.
Owners of on-site 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 on-site system where the RECs have been sold does not
qualify in meeting EPA usage requirements. Partners may,
however, replace the RECs sold from an on-site system
through a secondary green power purchase in order to
qualify for the GPP.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
Assessing Your Organization's Minimum Usage Requirement
Organizations can take the following steps to assess their mini-
mum green power usage 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 estimate
total electricity use based on square footage. Multiply the
total square footage of your chosen scope of partnership by
a factor of 14.9 kWh/sf/year (or .0149 MWh/sf/year). This
is a national average for U.S. commercial buildings of all
space types2.
4. Organizations can use the table below to find the kilowatt-
hours (kWh) range for their annual electricity use (i.e., their
"baseload") and identify the corresponding percentage of
green power required to meet EPA's minimum require-
ments.
EPA will periodically review and update the minimum usage
requirements to keep pace with the market and buyer patterns.
Table I: Minimum Usage Requirements
_ ...... Minimum Usage Requirements
Your Organization s Baseload , . .„„..„
6 as of January 1 , 20 1 1 a
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
You must, at a minimum, use this much green power
when you join the Partnership
3% of your use
5% of your use
10% of your use
20% of your use
a The minimum usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh) must be greater than the highest possible requirement in kilowatt-hours for the next lower benchmark level. For ex-
ample, an organization with a baseload electricity use of 100,000,001 kWh (3 percent benchmark level) would be required to use 5,000,000 kWh a year minimum,
which equals the highest possible requirement for the 5 percent benchmark category.
2 Energy Information Agency, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey 2003 (CBECS): www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cbecs/cbecs2003/detailed_
tables_2003/2003set!5/2003pdf/cl4a.pdf
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
VII. Green Power Leadership Club Usage
Requirement (Optional)
The Green Power Leadership Club (GPLC) honors Partners that
substantially exceed EPA's minimum usage requirements for an
organization-wide commitment. EPA automatically includes all
Partner organizations in the GPLC that are using a qualifying
amount of green power. No added paperwork is needed. 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 usage
requirement as a GPLC member on the GPP website. Qualify-
ing Partners also receive a GPLC plaque.
Partners must meet the entire minimum GPLC usage require-
ment with "new" renewable resources. Please refer to Section
XIII ("New" Renewables Usage Requirement) for more infor-
mation.
Table 2 below identifies the GPLC percentage usage 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 in-
formation. Efficiency efforts may reduce Partners' total electric-
ity use. The GPP requires that Partners provide a yearly update
on electricity load and green power purchasing (see Section V
Partner Yearly Report). Partners can report efficiency-related
reductions in total electricity consumption through this process.
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 green power use be supplied from
U.S.-based facilities. And, to support developing more renew-
able energy capacity nationwide, EPA requires that Partners use
green power from "new" renewable energy facilities. EPA defines
"new" as those facilities put into service within the last 15 years
(on or after January 1 of the year 15 years prior to the current
date). This rolling 15-year new date will help continuously drive
the development of new renewables.
The following are eligible green power resources:
• Solar photovoltaic
• Wind
• Geothermal
• Eligible hydropower (see Appendix A)
• Eligible biomass (see Appendix A)
Table 2: Green Power Leadership Club Usage Requirements
Your Organization's Baseload
Green Power Leadership Club Usage
Requirements After January 1,201 labc
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, use this much
green power across its entire U.S. operations
30% of your use
50% of your use
100% of your use
a Partners with an annual electricity use of less than I million kilowatt-hours (kWh) a year are not eligible for the GPLC. EPA recognizes separately Partners that fall
in this size category and use 100 percent green power.
b Partners must meet the minimum GPLC usage requirement entirely with "new" renewables.
c The minimum usage 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 100,000,001 kWh (30 percent benchmark level) would be required to use 50,000,000 kWh a
year minimum, which equals the highest possible requirement for the SO percent benchmark category.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
• 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)
• Future RECs (see vintage requirements in Section XIV)
• Utility green pricing products (in regulated utility markets)
• Utility green marketing products (in deregulated utility
markets)
• On-site power generation from eligible renewable resources
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 usage requirements. For example, if an organization
is buying a utility green power product composed of 50 percent
wind power, 10 percent large hydropower, and 40 percent con-
ventional power, only the 50 percent of that purchase derived
from wind power qualifies as an eligible resource. Neither the
large hydropower nor the conventional power qualifies, as de-
scribed 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 megawatt-hours
(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-certified 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
compliance premium shall be awarded for each REC
awarded for energy generated after December 31, 2007.
(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 section.
(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 compliance premiums retired during the
previous compliance period.
XII. Locating Green Power Products
The GPP website hosts the Green Power Locator, a national and
state-by-state listing of available green power products: www.
epa.gov/greenpower/pubs/gplocator.htm.
EPA does not endorse any provider or product listed in this database.
XIII. "New" Renewables Usage Requirement
To support developing more renewable energy capacity nation-
wide, EPA requires that Partners use green power from "new"
renewable energy facilities. EPA defines "new" as those facilities
put into service within the last 15 years (on or after January 1 of
the year 15 years prior to the current date). This rolling 15-year
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
new date will help continuously drive the development of new
renewables.
EPA considers facilities put into service before the new date to
be "existing" generation facilities. Facilities placed into operation
before the new date may qualify as a "new" facility if one or more
of the following conditions are met:
1. The facility has been re-powered on or after the 15-year new
date such that 80 percent of the fair market value of the
project stems from new generation equipment installed as
part of the re-powering..
2. 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.
3. 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 the 15-year new date.
4. The facility is a separately metered landfill gas resource that
was not used to generate electricity before the 15-year new
date.
XIV. Green Power Vintage Requirement
The green power (kilowatt-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 use, EPA requires that Partners use 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 Green Power Partnership in 2012 may select qualify-
ing green power generated at any point between July 2011 (six
months prior to the current calendar year) through calendar
year 2012 and up through March 2013 (three months after the
vintage year).
Important Note:
Organizations should be aware that emissions inventory
protocols might require that green power purchase vintages
align with the specific year for which the emissions reduction
is claimed; for example, a 2012 emissions reduction being
achieved through a green power purchase would require
that the green power be generated between January 1 and
December 31, 2012. Organizations should verify that a green
power purchase is applicable towards meeting greenhouse
gas reduction goals. For information on carrying out an
emissions inventory, please refer to EPA's Corporate GHG
Resources at www.epa.gov/climateleadership.
Future RECs
Future RECs are counted in the year they are actually gener-
ated, with the same limited flexibility offered to any other REC
product. This means they may be claimed to meet Partnership
requirements if they are generated in the current year, in the
last six months of the prior year, or the first three months of the
following year.
Example: In 2009, Fanner E purchases a future REC product
from a wind farm that is scheduled to begin operation in 2012.
The RECs generated by this wind farm will not be eligible to
meet Partnership requirements until operations begin and the
projected REC generation is realized.
Beginning January 1, 2011, regardless of existing contracts, all
future RECs purchases in the program must be counted only in
the year generated, with the same flexibility exceptions around
the current year.
XV. Product Certification
EPA strongly encourages Partners to buy green power products
that are certified by an independent third-party as a matter of
best practice. Buying a certified green power product offers a
higher certainty to customers that they are receiving the desired
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.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
XVI. Environmental Claims Guidance
Buying or using green power enables Partners to make certain
environmental benefit statements. Partner organizations should
consider the following guidelines when calculating and making
environmental claims.
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 audit—independent of the provider—that
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 sub region 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
the U.S. government. eGRID contains air emission data
for NOX, sulfur dioxide, CO2, and mercury. For assistance
using this data, please contact your EPA account man-
ager. For additional information please see www.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
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
through words, symbols, emblems, logos, depictions, prod-
uct 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, institutional,
or industrial use. For added information please see www.ftc.
gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm or www. eere.energy.
gov/greenpower/buying/pdfs/naag_0100.pdf.
How to Calculate Environmental Benefit Statements
To standardize and assist organizations in calculating envi-
ronmental benefits, the GPP has developed the Green Power
Equivalency Calculator (www.epa.gov/greenpower/pubs/ calcula-
tor.htm). The equivalency calculator uses eGRID3 non-baseload
national average and subregion emissions rates.4 Organizations
should use the Green Power Equivalency Calculator to estimate
the avoided emissions of green power usage. Partner organiza-
tions can use EPA's Power Profiler to estimate the emissions
associated with their conventional power use. Power Profiler uses
an eGRID baseload emissions factors.
Partners using green power generated from landfill gas or waste-
water treatment methane may claim the indirect greenhouse gas
emissions reductions from displacing conventional electricity.
Organizations should not claim greenhouse gas emission reduc-
tions from the direct capture and destruction of methane; such
claims are not often conveyed through the associated RECs or
green power usage.
XVII. Partner Recognition
Green Power Partner Mark
&EPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNER
Partners may use the EPA Green
Power Partner mark within the lim-
its described in the Partner Mark
Use Guidelines. Partners may use
the mark on websites, 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 communication 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 Partner Mark Use Guidelines are available at www.epa.gov/
greenpower/ documents/gpp_guidedoc_mark.pdf.
For more 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
website at www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/.
Placement on EPA's Top Partner Lists provides excellent oppor-
tunities for Partners to announce new or increased green power
usage. EPA's Top Partner lists currently include:
• National Top 50 List
• Fortune 500* Green Power Partners
• Top 20 College & University List
• Top 20 K-12 Schools List
• Top 10 Federal Government List
• Top 20 Local Government List
• Top 20 Tech & Telecom List
• Top 20 On-site Generation List
• Top 20 Retail List
• 100% Green Power Users List
EPA reserves the right to retire or modify existing lists—or to
introduce new Top Partner lists—at any time.
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 Renewable Energy Markets Conference.
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 www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/
egrid/index.htm
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.
-------
EPA's Green Power Partnership: Partnership Requirements
EPA recognizes winners in the following categories:
• On-site generation
• Green Power Purchasing (any product type less on-site)
• Green Power Community of the Year
• Partner of the Year
• Sustained Excellence in Green Power
Winners must be EPA Green Power Partners in good standing.
For more details, visit the Awards page of the GPP website at
www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/index.htm.
XVIII. Partner Suspensions
EPA requires that Partners update their partnership and green
power use status annually. Each year, EPA will provide a Partner
Yearly Report to each Partner's primary contact on record. Fail-
ure to respond to or meet the Partnership's minimum require-
ments 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, including the
website. Suspended Partners must remove all mention of part-
nership from their marketing materials and websites, 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 usage requirements, GPLC usage requirements,
"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 Partnership
requirements.
XX. Contact EPA's Green Power Partnership
For questions about the GPP, please contact:
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
2. Wind
3. Geothermal
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 existing dam
on a case-by-case basis, where the "new" output is equal to or
less than 5 megawatts.
EPA will review and consider ocean-based or tidal generation
resources as warranted by technological, implementation and
market developments.
5. Biomass, i.e., solid, liquid, and gaseous forms from the fol-
lowing fuels:
a. All woody waste5
b. All agricultural crops or waste
c. All animal and other organic waste
d. All energy crops
e. Landfill gas and wastewater methane6
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 (B100) that is used to generate electricity is eli-
gible 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.
8. Note on cogeneration/combined heat and power technolo-
gies: Electricity produced by "new" cogeneration (also
known as combined heat and power) is eligible if the fuel
used is listed above as an eligible green power resource.
Only the amount of electricity generated from the eligible
resource may count towards EPA requirements.
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.
Landfill gas and wastewater methane that have been commingled in a pipeline or storage container with conventional natural gas, but were "directed" or
"nominated" for use at a specific power generation facility, may be eligible subject to a case-by-case review by EPA. The methodology presented to EPA must
demonstrate that the volume and heat content of the injected landfill gas or wastewater methane was measured, preferably by an independent entity, at the
point of injection and that only the amount of electricity generated that can be attributed to the "directed" landfill gas or wastewater methane is counted as
green power.
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 bio-
mass may count towards the EPA criteria.
B-l
-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
OMB Control Number 2060-0578
Partnership Agreement Elf
oEPA
jGREEN
V POWER
' PARTNERSHIP
T
he 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.
By joining EPA's Green Power Partnership,
Partners commit to:
• Use green power that meets or exceeds Partnership
requirements.
• Report on green power use annually.
• Use the Green Power Partner mark in a manner that is consis-
tent with Partner mark use guidelines, available at www.epa.
qov/qreenpower/documents/qpp quidedoc mark.pdf.
In return, EPA commits to:
• Provide public recognition.
• Provide procurement and communications assistance, as re-
quested by Partner.
• Provide a brief description of the Partner's green power commit-
ment 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 participa-
tion in the Green Power Partnership constitutes EPA approval or
endorsement of anything other than its participation in the pro-
gram 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 organization.
• EPA may post information about the Partner's green power use
publicly.
• EPA may periodically revise program benchmark levels or other
eligibility requirements.
Key Green Power Partnership Requirements
Your Organization's Baseload
If your annual electricity use 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, use this much
green power
3% of your use
5% of your use
10% of your use
20% of your use
Green Power Leadership Club
Requirements
You must, at a minimum, use this much
green power for your entire organization
30% of your use
50% of your use
100% of your use
Not Applicable
Eligible green power includes electricity generated from solar, wind,
geothermal, biogas, and certain forms of biomass and hydropower.
Green power must be sourced from eligible U.S.-based generation
facilities.
Requirement can be met with any combination of green power
products (i.e., utility product, RECs, or on-site generation).
Partner purchases must be voluntary and incremental to the
renewable electricity included in the standard electricity service.
Requirements must be entirely met with power from "new"
renewable facilities (i.e., installed within the last 15 years).
Partners may join organization-wide (U.S. operations only), at
the facility-level, or a logical aggregation of facilities less than
organization-wide.
More details are available in the Partnership Requirements Document, http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/documents/gpp partnership reqs.pdf
PLEASE FAX PAGE 2 OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO (617) 371-3979 (contractor in support of EPA)
OR E-MAIL TO critchfield.james@epa.gov (must be signed and scanned).
C-l
-------
Authorizing Official:
On behalf of , the u
(Name of organization or entity)
Sianature:
Print Name:
Primary Contact:
Name: |
Title:
Address:
City: ] State:Q ] Zip:Q
Phone: |
E-mail (required): \_
ndersigned understands and agrees to the terms of the Partnership.
Title:
Date:
Public Relations Contact (optional):
Name:
Title:
Address: |
City:Q ] State:Q ] Zip:Q
Phone:
E-mail: |
Electricity and Green Power Information
Reporting Period: The electricity and green power information listed below covers the following 12-month period.
Reporting Period Start Date \^_ Reporting Period End Date H
Annual electricity use of participating entity:
Purchased Green Power
Green power purchase: ]] kWh /year
Contract details
Start date: End date (if applicable):
Green power resource mix
% biogas % biomass % geothermal
| | % small hydro J% solar J%wind
Product certification (third party):
Q Green-e Q Not certified Q Other
If other, by whom?
Name of green power providers):
Green power product name(s):
HI kWh / year
On-site Use of Green Power
Green power generation: f" kWh /year*
Resource type: Q biogas Q biomass Q geothermal
Q small hydro Q solar Q wind
Was the on-site unit installed in the last 15 years? Q Yes Q No
Installed capacity: kW
Location of on-site generation (ZIP code):|_
Installation ownership: Q self Q other
If other, by whom?
* EPA will only count as green power kWh generated from on-site instal-
lations for which the participating entity owns the rights to the renew-
able energy credits (RECs).
Motivating factors behind your green power use (optional) (check an that apply)
Q Brand or product differentiation Q EPA recognition Q Reduce carbon footprint
Q Cost stability or savings Q LEED certification Q Support economic development & job creation
Q Demonstrate environmental leadership Q Meet sustainability goals Q Support renewable energy development
Q Other Q
The government estimates the average time needed to fill out this form is 1.96 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 PAGE 2 OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO (617) 371-3979 (contractor in support of EPA) OR
E-MAIL TO critchfield.james@epa.gov (must be signed and scanned).
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
C-2
EPA-430-K-05-013
www.epa.gov/qreenpower
February 2014
------- |