Our client is trying to sign a 2 year contract for renewable energy, and the company he is engaged with only offers 1 year.
The owner is committed to green energy, regardless of the credit, and will likely sign contracts with his renewable energy providers for many years to come. Are there alternate ways to demonstrate committment, to comply with the2 year contract requirement?
Kath Williams
LEED Fellow 2011, PrincipalKath Williams + Associates
147 thumbs up
December 11, 2014 - 4:13 pm
The amount purchased is the key. It must match the anticipated usage over a two-year period (at 75% for 2 points plus exemplary performance) as documented by the energy model. We have never had a problem with the length of the contract being an issue.
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5916 thumbs up
December 12, 2014 - 9:34 am
How are you looking to buy green power? Are you buying RECs or are you signing up for another type of green power offering?
Slight correction to what Kath said - exemplary performance is at 70%.
Kath Williams
LEED Fellow 2011, PrincipalKath Williams + Associates
147 thumbs up
December 12, 2014 - 11:25 am
Thanks for the edit, Marcus.
Rick Alfandre
PrincipalAlfandre Architecture
17 thumbs up
December 12, 2014 - 5:19 pm
We are purchasing green power, not RECs. We have just completed our new building which has a large PV array, which produces most, but not all, our electrical needs. We have a contract with a 3rd party vendor to provide Green-E certified power, to provide what the PV array cannot. The power we purchase is 100% renewable, but the contract lengths are not for more than a year. Would there be an alternative way to demonstrate committment for 2 years?
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5916 thumbs up
December 14, 2014 - 6:29 pm
Thanks for the clarification. If you signed up for a green power product for a one year contract for all of the power the building consumes, then all you will need is a letter from the owner committing them to buying green power for a second year. If it is the difference it gets a bit more complicated. Is it the total consumption or the difference?
The PV array makes things a bit more involved. Who owns the PV array? Were the SRECs sold? If they were not sold then you only need to buy green power for the difference between the renewable production and the building's consumption. If they were sold then you need to buy at least 35% of the total consumption to earn EAc6 because you technically do not have any solar power serving your building from the PV array.