Top 3 Benefits of Renewable Power Purchase Agreements For Your Business

This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are the energy source of the 21^st century. But what is so alluring about these agreements for commercial, industrial, and institutional (C&I) buyers? Why are businesses like Google, Amazon, and Walmart placing PPAs at the center of their energy strategy?

PPAs create an energy delivery agreement between C&I buyers and renewable energy project developers that allow the organization to lock in energy prices for up to 20 years.  This is great news in a volatile energy market, and for organizations that are looking to swiftly meet their sustainability goals. With PPAs, C&I buyers get flexibility and creativity that traditional energy structures cannot provide.

Here are the top 3 benefits for choosing renewable power purchase agreements for your company:

1. PPAs are a long-term hedge against the risk of fluctuating energy prices.

Prices for traditional energy sources are notoriously subject to market variability. Renewable power purchase agreements protect companies from that variability. Because wind and solar energy generation require minimal maintenance costs after installation, buyers benefit from steady, predictable costs that can be specified up front in a PPA contract. This creates a winning scenario for businesses, whereby committing to low renewable energy prices via a PPA decreases financial risk from rising electricity prices in the future.

2. Locking in a long-term renewable energy deal creates an opportunity for future profit.

Unlike the traditional process of purchasing energy from a local utility, renewable power purchase agreements help companies capture the best energy price on the market by allowing access to a much wider range of energy providers. Through a Financial PPA, independent power providers across the nation can be paired with organizations looking to make a long-term commitment to renewable energy. The organization pays the developer through a 12-20 year contract to bring new sources of renewable energy to the grid in exchange for energy attribute certificates (EACs) – more commonly known as renewable energy credits (RECs) in North America, GOs in the EU, and I-RECs or TIGRs in developing international markets. Once the renewable project is online – selling energy to the grid – proceeds for the duration of the contract go to the company. Herein lies the most compelling argument for buying a renewable PPA: the opportunity to secure future financial gain from a commitment to renewable energy.

3. PPAs are one of the fastest ways to reach sustainability goals and add new renewable energy to the grid.

   

Onsite generation and the use of EACs to mitigate emissions can only take an organization so far when it comes to sustainability and renewable energy targets. While there is a limit to the number of solar panels you can install on your roof, long-term energy purchase through power purchase agreements has no cap. Organizations can, therefore, meet renewable energy targets in a cost-effective and reliable manner using PPAs.

Signing a PPA is a great way to get ahead of your competitors, showcase your commitment to sustainability, and plan for risks while creating value for your organization. Download our white paper, Accelerate Your Energy Strategy with Power Purchase Agreements, to learn how your company can participate in this smart energy management strategy.