The next best move beyond conserving energy is turning to renewable energy. Clean, pure and endless energy from the sun, wind, water and plants is good for the environment and for business. Renewable energy projects can generate electricity without greenhouse gas output; in fact, they also generate renewable energy certificates (RECs) that businesses can readily and affordably use to neutralize the greenhouse gases associated with up to 100% of their electricity use.

RECs first came on the national scene in 2001, when Sterling Planet delivered the first renewable certificate offer available coast-to-coast, called Green America™. Since then, the company has sold billions of Green-e certified ‘green’ kWh, enough to avert more than 20 billion pounds of carbon dioxide and earn ranking as the leading supplier to business customers. Sterling Planet also teams with electric utilities to deliver ‘green power’ options to their customers and develop new generators using renewable resources.

Looking to the future, Sterling Planet is bringing new sources of renewable energy production on line. With more than 135 years of combined power project experience at large investor-owned utilities and leading industrial engineering/construction firms in the United States and abroad, the company has credentials for full-scope development of projects using diverse renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and various biomass fuels. The company’s clean energy pipeline includes more than 100 megawatts of new generating capacity.

Whether the renewable energy is in the form of green power, RECs or onsite power production, this sustainable energy is viable and gaining significant market traction. Beyond environmental benefits, renewable energy sources increase energy security and boost economic development. According to two studies by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Union of Concerned Scientists, if renewables grew from their current 2% share to supplying 10% of the nation’s electricity by 2020, the following would occur: