Spark Energy Offsets Its Annual Energy Consumption With Renewables
In 2020, businesses are looking out for the health and well-being of the community more than ever before. Spark Energy continues its support of next-generation energy production and has already taken steps to make energy use cleaner.
In an effort to reduce its own impact, Spark Energy has offset the environmental impact for its annual energy consumption and the households of all employees.
Purchase and Retirement of 2020 Renewable Energy Credits
Spark Energy has purchased enough 2020 renewable energy credits (RECs) to offset the environmental impacts for the estimated annual consumption at the corporate headquarters as well as every employee and contractor.
Spark is aware of increased re-allocation of where and how energy is currently being consumed related not only to Work From Home – but also the Family At Home environment. In recognition of this new paradigm, Spark Energy leadership agreed that in addition to the financial assistance it has provided most of its employees and contractors during Covid-19, matching the energy use of employee households with RECs was the right thing to do.
To accomplish this, Spark is estimating each employee or contractor’s home usage to be equal to 3 RCE per annum and its own normal consumption for 2019. Spark Energy then voluntarily acquired and retired Texas wind renewable energy credits in order to offset its own energy use. The wind energy used for the credits was produced in 2019-2020 and acquired through the ERCOT TexasRenewables.com portal.
Renewable energy credits are created when a certified producer of wind energy has generated the equivalent of an MWh of electricity and delivered that into the power grid. This creates an equivalent offset for the consumption of non-renewable energy consumed off the generic ERCOT grid.
The corporate headquarters building is in the process of becoming LEED certified and additional measures are being taken to minimize energy use. It’s a meaningful step for the Spark Energy family of brands that stretch across the country. It builds upon the move towards increased support of green and carbon-neutral energy that Spark Energy is making, which is led by Verde Energy, the company’s renewable energy brand that’s now providing six states in the northeast and Washington D.C. with clean energy.