How CleanChoice Energy Brings You Clean Energy

wind turbine and solar panel
  • Oct 15, 2016

You may already know the benefits of choosing 100% clean energy. But do you know how clean energy gets from the wind or solar farm to you?

Bringing You Clean Energy

When a solar farm, a power plant, or a wind farm produces electricity, the electricity is added to the mix of electricity on the “grid” that flows through power lines to your home or business.

When you choose wind and solar energy from CleanChoice Energy, you’re provided with both grid electricity and renewable energy certificates, so that every kWh you use to power your home comes from 100% regional wind and solar power. RECs are the tracking mechanism that guarantee your energy comes from a 100% renewable source. Because your electricity is matched to RECs, you can access the same environmental benefits as if a wind or solar farm was directly plugged into the side of your home.

Keeping Track of Clean Energy

To keep track of the electricity generated by renewable sources like solar and wind, Renewable Energy Certificates, commonly called “RECs”, are used. Each REC represents a specific amount of renewable energy produced and delivered to the power grid. When a solar or wind farm sends electricity to the grid, they also issue corresponding renewable energy certificates. When you buy those RECs you are taking ownership of that clean energy and all the environmental benefits associated with clean energy generation. Check out this great video explaining RECs by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The REC system can be likened to a bank account. You put your money in the bank where it mixes with the money of everyone else. But the bank tracks your dollars so that you always know your own total. RECs are the tracking mechanism for clean energy, so that you know your energy use is being matched with 100% renewable energy on the grid.  RECs are the currency of the renewable energy sector and allow us all to participate in buying clean energy, even if we don’t own our own solar panels or wind farm. How Your Clean Energy Choice Supports Renewable Energy CleanChoice Energy sources electricity and wind and solar RECs in the same region where our customers are located, so the impact can be felt close to home. By buying RECs, CleanChoice Energy and its customers provide revenue to support and grow the clean energy movement. When enough people buy RECs, the clean energy sector grows and we all get cleaner air, a cleaner grid, and a more sustainable future.


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