How to Buy Green Electricity

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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There's a huge push to do things that are environmentally-friendly. Some of the ideas have been around for decades while others, like green electricity, are relatively new to consumers. Buying green energy is one of the many steps people can make towards ensuring a healthy earth is around for many generations to come. Read on to buy green electricity.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Understand what green electricity is before you choose to buy it. It's energy supplied in part or totally from renewable sources like wind, solar, hydropower or geothermal sources. Some sources are preferred like wind, solar and geothermal, but others like large-scale hydropower are less environmentally friendly and thus considered the "next best option" to traditional forms of energy.

Step2

Find out what options of green electricity are available to buy in your area. You can search the Department of Energy's online map to see what's available or you can call your utility company directly.

Step3

Compare costs before you buy green electricity. Yes there's a premium charge for green electricity, so be prepared to pay a little more. On average certificates cost two cents more per kWh and purchasing green electricity directly can cost anywhere from $5 to $20 extra depending on the percentage of green electricity you use.

Step4

Consider renewable energy certificates (REC) if you do not have green power available in your area to buy. This allows customers to purchase certificates representing the environmental attributes of power that comes from green plants.

Step5

Realize that your choice to buy green electricity may not be overtly visible in your everyday life, especially if you purchase through a "green pricing" program. More than 44 states offer green energy to residential customers. The energy generated is fed directly into the nationwide power grid so the delivery of the electricity to your home stays the same and usually the service provider never changes.