Further information about Wind Watts

Wind Watts are renewable energy certificates (RECs). Each REC represents the delivery of one megawatt-hour of renewable power (generated by the Mars Hill Wind Farm in northern Maine) into the electric power "grid" and displaces the non-renewable fossil fuels or nuclear power that would have otherwise been used to generate this power. The result is a benefit to the environment that is the same as it would be if you installed wind turbines on your own home or business.

RECs (aka renewable energy credits, green tags, green energy certificates, tradable renewable certificates, etc.) were created by the EPA to make it easy for consumers to participate in using renewable energy. When you purchase RECs, you create demand for renewable energy and support the development of facilities like the Mars Hill Wind Farm to supply it. When you buy certificates equivalent to the amount of energy you use in your home, you can completely offset the environmental effects of your own energy use, because someone, somewhere along the grid, is using the renewable energy paid for by your certificate.

Still not clear? Here’s a simple way to think about it. Let’s say your utility offered you the opportunity to pay a little more each month for wind power. If you chose this option then the electricity feeding your meter would be exactly the same as it was before you started buying wind power. That’s because all electricity is the same, and you cannot direct particular electrons to travel to a particular house on the grid.

As a result, you continue to get electricity from the mix of all sources feeding the grid (nuclear, coal, oil, etc.), and “credit” for having had the electricity you use replaced with wind power. That “credit” is the core of renewable energy certificates. When you buy wind power from your utility, you’re really just buying ordinary electricity and RECs in the same transaction from the same supplier (In fact, your utility may or may not buy wind power on your behalf – they may simply buy wind RECs for you). Either way it’s the same. Because all electricity is the same, ownership of RECs and an equal amount of ANY electricity is legally deemed to be ownership of renewable electricity.

As an alternative, you can continue buying the electricity you’re going to get anyway from your utility, and use that “little more each month” to buy RECs from any of several REC suppliers. Mine Interfaith Power and Light is such a supplier.

An average household consumer can offset 100% of their energy usage for electricity for $10/month.

Wind Watts can also be purchased to offset travel. Because each Wind Watts REC offsets 1/2 ton of carbon dioxide (CO2), this offset can be used to offset any activity (electricity power use, travel in a car or plane, etc.) that produces carbon dioxide. To calculate your travel offset please visit Wind Watts travel offsets. 

Some more info about RECs...

• RECs ensure that electricity is generated by certified wind facilities and delivered to a power grid. You determine the amount you purchase.
• Certificates for electricity generated from clean and 100% renewable sources.
• Supports new renewable energy facilities.
• 2 cents per kilowatt hour premium, sold in blocks of $20. (You will continue to pay for electricity supply and delivery at your current rate.)
• Available to everyone. You don't even have to be an electricity customer to order RECs.
• No interruption in electricity service or billing.
• Can be purchased at any time.
• Apply to blocks of electricity (1,000 kilowatt hours).
• Partially tax deductible as a charitable donation.
• Zero air emissions per kilowatt hour. 

To find out how much environmental pollution is created by your own home energy use, use the EPA Power Profiler. Purchase of green energy certificates could offset part or even all of that pollution at very little cost.