In the decades since the voluntary renewable energy credit marketplace cropped up, a bevy of options for acquiring renewables has bloomed. Companies can choose from options including buying RECs, investing in onsite renewables and signing virtual power-purchase agreements.
Now, a growing segment of corporate renewable buyers — many with goals of achieving 100 percent clean energy — are aiming for even more sophisticated purchasing models.
Last week, Google announced a step forward in its 2030 goal to supply all of its annual electricity consumption, which now stands at 12.2 terawatt-hours, with carbon-free energy* at all times of day and night. The tech company will work with the nonprofit Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS) to match renewable energy credits to its electricity consumption on an hourly basis, rather than the current monthly standard.