Action - Switch to a clean energy provider
Most areas have at least one clean energy provider. You can sign up with these providers and by paying a small premium for your electricity they generate an equal amount of clean energy. Your home does not get energy directly from the clean provider, rather your payments purchase the clean electricity, which has a slightly higher cost than dirty electricity, and is then fed onto the normal electricity grid.
Known benefits and costs
| Annual CO2 Savings | 1,500 - 3,000 kg |
|---|---|
| 3,300 - 6,600 lbs | |
| Annual Cash Savings | $0 - $0 |
| Initial Cost | $150 - $400 |
| Time to pay for itself | 0.0 - 0.0 years |
| CO2 saved per year per initial dollar invested | 3.75 - 20.00 kg |
* These values were taken from many sources including product documentation, published reports, and the referenced material below. The ranges are due to differences in methods of achieving this action.
Reference Links
The site admins voted these articles very good references
A Consumer Guide to Green Power in Canada
A list of green energy providers in Canada, organized by province.
Buying Green Power: Can I Buy Green Power in My State?
A list of green energy providers in the US, organized by state, put together by the US Department of Energy.
Recent Related Links
Links that were recently submitted related to this solution
Learn about Wind Power and Wind Turbines
Resource detailing the clean energy conversion of wind into electricity using wind turbines for the benefit of future generations and the environment.
Solar-Powered Air Conditioner
Finally, a company has built and released a solar powered air conditioner unit.
The power and the glory
Renewable energy may be the next economic boom.
Renewable Energy Basics
A wealth of information on renewable energy from the Union of Concerned Scientists
Battery options for your off-grid home
Good detail on the issues surrounding large battery-pack setups for off-grid homes.
Solar Power's New Style
Interesting rundown on the state of thin-film solar technology.
World's biggest solar farm about to go live
The worlds largest solar farm is about to go live in Portugal, as part of an ambitious renewable energy strategy.
Microgeneration could rival nuclear power, report shows
A British report estimates that micro-generation (buildings equipped with small-scale solar, wind, etc) could generate as much electricity there as five nuclear power stations.
Dark Side of Solar Cells Brightens
Solar critics often claim the energy required to manufacture the cells is large enough to render them considerably less attractive. This article explains that most cells repay their manufacturing emissions within one to three years, which is minimal.
New world record for solar-to-grid efficiency: 31.25 percent
The old 1984 record of 29.4 percent was toppled Jan. 31 at Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility.

