Not all RECs are Created Equal

WWU Communications just put out a press release about WWU's purchase of Renewable Energy Credits through a new supplier, EarthEra Renewable Energy Trust. The why and how of REC purchases can be a confusing concept. In order to reduce our net carbon footprint to zero, WWU needs to support the production of renewable energy from sources such as wind, solar, biomass and other options. If we are not producing that energy on campus, we have to pay someone else to feed renewable energy into the energy grid. Because renewable energy that enters our grid is distributed to all points instantly, we get as much of the "green energy" that we pay for as anyone else on the grid. However, we have effectually increased the total "green energy" content of the grid though our purchase of RECs, thus lowering the amount of energy that needs to be produced though other means such as coal, natural gas, nuclear and large-scale hydro. Though other individuals may be consuming the energy that we are paying for, we get to claim the benefits, including the reduction in carbon dioxide. This is where the "credit" in "Renewable Energy Credit" comes from. We buy RECs, they produce RECs, and we claim the benefit. For a more detailed explanation see this FAQ sheet from NativeEnergy.

What the latest purchase means for WWU is a significant drop in our CO2 footprint. Because the research team for our purchases specified that WWU get the "biggest bang" for student dollars, the RECs that we are now purchasing are worth more in CO2 reductions than before. Over the last four years, while our REC purchases have dropped from around $10 per REC to $4 per REC, our lbs. of CO2 avoided per REC has climbed from 1500 to over 2000. This is akin to paying half as much for a large pizza, but then getting an x-large instead. This is a huge step toward reducing our carbon footprint down to zero because the RECs we're buying offset the not just our CO2 emissions from electricity use, but more than that. So much so, that WWU could offsets its entire carbon footprint for an additional REC purchase of $66,000. See page 14 of the budget proposal from Business and Financial Affairs for more details.