In this section

Install renewable energy systems

Thinking about installing a renewable energy system at your building, like solar arrays or a wind turbine? Increasing the energy efficiency of your building is a smart way to prepare for installing onsite renewable energy systems. After all, energy efficiency is all about using only the energy you need to use, while renewable energy is all about getting that energy from a sustainable source.

Efficiency upgrades can shrink the energy load of your building by as much as 35 percent, which will allow you to maximize the proportion of clean power generated on-site at the least cost. In other words, energy efficiency gives you the most bang for your renewable energy buck.

EPA offers several resources to help you learn more about renewable energy projects. To read more, visit:

Power Purchase Agreements (capital free solar)

Under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model, there are no upfront or capital costs to acquire solar power because you, the end-user, don’t own the solar panels. Instead you buy solar power as a service much like you already do for grid-based energy from a utility. At the end of the month, you pay only for the solar energy produced on-site and purchase the remaining energy you need from your utility. A solar energy services firm assumes all performance and economic risks because it owns and maintains the equipment on your site.