Can renewable energy be used as an offset?
Yes. The generation of renewable energy backs down conventional electricity generation and reduces the need for new fossil-fueled power plants, which in turn leads to reduced GHG emissions. If a renewable energy project meets stringent additionality criteria, it can be used to generate offsets. As long as there is no government policy that allocates the ownership of GHG reductions created by renewable energy to fossil-fueled power plants (such as a cap-and-trade scheme that allows capped fossil-fueled power plants to receive credit for reductions), then renewable energy provides a real means to effectively address climate change. Most of the major, internationally accepted offset programs, including all of the Green-e Climate Endorsed Programs, allow renewable energy facilities as sources for offsets.
Yes. The generation of renewable energy backs down conventional electricity generation and reduces the need for new fossil-fueled power plants, which in turn leads to reduced GHG emissions. If a renewable energy project meets stringent additionality criteria, it can be used to generate offsets. As long as there is no government policy that allocates the ownership of GHG reductions created by renewable energy to fossil-fueled power plants (such as a cap-and-trade scheme that allows capped fossil-fueled power plants to receive credit for reductions), then renewable energy provides a real means to effectively address climate change. Most of the major, internationally accepted offset programs, including all of The Gold Standard and Green-e Climate Endorsed Programs, allow renewable energy facilities as sources for offsets.
