Energy from solid-waste incineration, also known as “waste-to-energy,” does not contribute to this credit. 

Fuel cells are often touted for renewable energy systems, but they consume hydrogen as fuel, usually from natural gas. They are only considered renewable if their hydrogen is generated by renewable sources.  

Excess energy beyond the building energy demand can be sold using net-metering, but only at market electricity rate. The building owner cannot charge a premium for the renewable energy. If the excess energy is sold at a price higher than market rate because it carries a green premium, it cannot be counted towards this credit, because you’re selling the environmental attributes of the power as RECs for someone else to claim. Although a bit convoluted, you can claim that electricity by purchasing RECs from a Green-e certified source (similarly to EAc6: Green Power).

You can double-dip with onsite renewable energy—in addition to this credit, it helps to offset total annual building energy use, contributing to EAp2, and EAc1, if using Option 1, Whole Building Optimization Energy Modeling.

Geothermal energy, which uses heat generated deep within the Earth, is considered renewable by LEED. But technologies that use the surface of the Earth as a heat source and sink for heating and cooling with heat pumps, are also commonly called “geothermal” or “geo-exchange,” and these don’t count.

When selecting a specific technology, consider the long-term operation and maintenance requirements. Some PV systems come with a 20-year warranty while wind turbines often require annual oiling and checkups. Solar thermal may require glass replacement in case of some accident.

Onsite electricity generation is one of the most visible ways to demonstrate a building owner’s commitment to green building and a conscious attempt to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. A visible solar panel or wind turbine on the building rooftop is a strong statement in public and occupant relations.

It tends to be easier to earn this credit on low-rise buildings with relatively large roof areas, because they often have large unobstructed areas for installing solar panels.

Consider standalone systems that are easier to install. Electrical vehicle charging stations can be easily hooked up to PV panels, for example. Standalone solar-powered site lighting (in which a small PV panel is integrated into each fixture) can be solar powered throughout the year and reduces the infrastructure requirements of wiring and maintenance. These systems are not likely to add up to enough energy to earn the credit, though.

Roof mounted or on-site generation technology is considered a mechanical system so the area it takes up is excluded from calculations for the heat island reduction credits, SSc7.1 and SSc7.2.