Though support has declined somewhat in recent years, survey data from the Pew Research Center notes that the vast majority of Americans still favor more solar power and wind power in the country. In addition, 25% feel that it is extremely or very important for them to personally limit their carbon footprint.
While large percentages of Americans are interested in using renewable energy, far fewer actually do so. The Solar Energy Industries Association reports that 5 million homes in the United States have solar panel installations, further estimating that 15% of homes will have solar by 2030.
For Jeff Rodgers, Chief Marketing Officer of Indra Energy, which facilitates access to renewable electricity and gas, expanding access to clean power doesn’t have to be so limited. Indra Energy’s approach shows that homeowners have methods besides rooftop solar to begin using clean power.
As noted earlier, the number of Americans who have a strong desire to limit their carbon footprint is much greater than the number who actually have access to clean energy. This doesn’t come as a surprise to Rodgers.
“For many people, something like a solar panel installation is just completely unfeasible for where they live,” he notes. “If you live in an apartment building, you usually don’t have any control over getting a rooftop solar installation. Even for those who own a standalone home, issues with the size, slope or positioning of the roof can make it so installing solar panels simply isn’t an option. Your local climate or the amount of shade your property gets could also limit the effectiveness of solar panels.”
Cost is also an issue for many homeowners, with a 5-kilowatt solar panel system costing an average of $17,823. Even with tax credits and financing, high costs can still be a deterrent for many.
With these challenges in mind, Rodgers and Indra Energy offer a simpler approach that gives consumers access to renewable energy without the logistical and financial hurdles of other clean power solutions.
As Rodgers explains, “In areas with deregulated energy markets where consumers can choose their energy supplier, we are able to provide renewable energy* plans for electricity and natural gas. Our electric plans match energy usage with renewable energy certificates, meaning your usage directly supports clean energy production, even if that energy isn’t getting delivered directly to your property. With natural gas plans, your gas usage is matched with verified offset projects like methane capture or reforestation to balance your emissions.”
With this approach, there are no costly or invasive equipment installations. In fact, energy delivery, system maintenance, and emergency responses continue to be handled by the local utility. Indra Energy simply takes over as the energy supplier, contributing its renewable energy credits to the grid for power distribution.
Renewable energy credits are created automatically for every megawatt-hour produced by a solar, wind, hydro, or other alternative energy facility. The REC is given a unique identification number and can be sold or traded to another organization, which can then use it to make an environmental claim, such as offsetting a homeowner’s electricity use. After the REC is used (such as when Indra Energy uses one for its members), the REC is removed from circulation.
Ultimately, Rodgers views his company’s approach as a way to make clean energy more accessible to a wider range of homeowners. “You shouldn’t have to be locked out of clean energy because of what your roof or property layout is like, or because you don’t have the money to finance a big solar panel installation. Linking your energy use with RECs and carbon offsets means that more people can incorporate green power into their everyday living and reduce their impact on the environment.”
Notably, this approach to supplying clean energy means that even renters can enroll in a renewable energy plan, as long as they pay the bill for an existing utility account in their name.
This expansion of accessibility offers significant potential for making renewable energy more easily integrated into everyday life. Pairing energy usage with renewable energy credits that are supplied to the grid limits the scope of infrastructure changes needed on a per-property level.
The funding that solar and other renewable facilities receive by selling renewable energy credits is vital for supporting additional project developments — many of which can further expand accessibility for green energy. Increased financial support for clean power projects can help them deliver long-term solutions.
In Rodgers’s view, the future of renewable integration is all about accessibility.
“Renewables tech is only going to improve, but we have to make sure that it is widely available. By utilizing solutions like RECs to help remove barriers to green energy access, more people are able to get energy in a way that aligns with their values. By taking steps to help clean power truly become a mainstream solution, more and more people are going to make the switch to renewables, which will lead to more investments in better renewable integrations. It can power an improving cycle until renewables eventually become the default approach.”
Spencer Hulse is the Editorial Director at Grit Daily. He is responsible for overseeing other editors and writers, day-to-day operations, and covering breaking news.
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