Green electricity: Tracking systems for environmental disclosure
- Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)
For the first time, electricity consumers in the US are beginning to choose their generation providers. One of the opportunities created by the introduction of retail choice in electricity is the chance for customers to influence the mix of generating resources through their purchasing decisions. Some environmentally aware consumers will want {open_quotes}clean,{close_quotes} {open_quotes}green,{close_quotes} or renewable power. While some suppliers will attempt to differentiate themselves according to their environmental performance, such claims for green electricity can be particularly difficult to verify given the complexity of the interconnected electric system. Because electricity is delivered over an integrated transmission grid and kilowatt-hours at the point of retail sale are indistinguishable from each other; disclosure requires tracking protocols to attribute generation at power plants to sales at the customers` meters. Fortunately, it is possible to implement a workable disclosure system. Some states have already included disclosure requirements in their electric industry restructuring orders and legislation. In this paper, a set of design criteria for an environmental disclosure system are presented along with two methods for disclosure: the company approach and the product approach. In addition, the authors discuss of power pools, data availability issues, and propose a company-based disclosure system using a {open_quotes}wholesale sales first{close_quotes} approach to transaction accounting.
- Research Organization:
- American Wind Energy Association, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 570011
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970608-PROC.; ON: DE98001975; TRN: 98:001071-0006
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WindPower `97: annual conference and exhibition of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Austin, TX (United States), 15-18 Jun 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings: American Wind Energy Association; PB: 636 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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