Clean, Cost-effective, Reliable Energy
When you flip the switch to turn on the lights, that energy is 100% carbon free and more than 68% renewable. We work hard to make sure customers have clean, cost-effective, reliable power. Most of our energy supply is hydro power, from both small local hydro facilities in Vermont and large sources in Quebec. GMP pledged to be 100% carbon free by 2025, and met that target in 2020, as we continue to increase local and regional renewable energy sources.
2020 Energy Supply
In 2020, our power sources were 100% carbon free and more than 68% renewable. This chart shows GMP’s finalized energy supply after the sale of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). Scroll down to see our supply before REC sales, and to learn more about RECs and how they cut costs for customers.
What are RECs?
A REC is a Renewable Energy Credit, and each represents the environmental benefits of 1MWh of renewable energy. Power generators can sell the green attributes of the energy they produce as RECs and whoever buys the RECs can then claim the environmental value of that energy as their own – even though they did not generate that clean power. RECs can only be counted once. So, when GMP sells RECs to reduce overall costs for customers, GMP can no longer claim the green attributes of the power we produced – it is considered “market power” rather than “renewable power” for our customers.
How do RECs lower the cost of electricity for Vermonters?
The purpose of the regional REC market is to provide incentives to develop renewable generation like solar and wind power. All states in New England require utilities to have renewable energy as a portion of their energy mixes, while the exact amounts vary by state. Utilities can produce their own renewable power or meet those targets by buying RECs (which helps incentivize renewable developers). GMP sells some of the RECs we generate to other utilities when those RECs are more valuable out of state, which directly helps to reduce costs for all GMP customers. GMP currently sells the RECs associated with renewable generators like Kingdom Community Wind because they generate value that 100% goes to customers and offsets power costs for them.
GMP Hydropower
Learn more about our Hydropower Facilities.