Frequently Asked Questions

When the appliances in your home pull electricity off of the power grid, there is no way of knowing which generators produced the specific electrons that enter your home. Electrons move along the grid according to the laws of physics, so the make-up of the electricity in your home in any given moment depends on where you live, what generators near you are currently producing electricity, how much electricity other people in your area are using, and other factors. However, we do know the make-up of the electric grid as a whole. Electricity suppliers are required to publish quarterly Disclosure Labels that indicate the sources of the electricity they supply, so we know what percent of their electric load comes from which kinds of sources. In Massachusetts, over 80% of our electricity is generated from fossil fuels and nuclear power resources, which damage both the environment and public health. Much of the remainder of our electricity comes in the form of trash-to-energy, large hydroelectric projects, and unidentified types of power imported from other regions. A state law, the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, requires all electricity suppliers operating in Massachusetts to source 13% of their electric load from new renewables in 2018, with a 1% increase every year. (So, in 2019, that requirement will be set at 14%.) Electricity suppliers in New England are responsible for purchasing enough power to meet the needs of their customers. By choosing green power, you are ensuring that renewable energy sources are being put onto the grid to meet your needs. Participating in our green power program does not change the make-up of the physical electricity that enters your home from the electric grid. However, it does allow you to choose renewable energy by claiming the energy produced by the projects in our portfolio as your own. By aggregating consumer buying power, our green power program pushes our grid towards a greener future faster than state law would alone. To learn more about how and why our green power programs make a difference, read on here.

All New England states share one single network of power lines, called the electric power grid. Generators from all over the region feed power into this grid and energy is drawn out on an as-needed basis. So, when you turn on the lights, you are drawing from a mix of electrons, and since electrons flow according to the laws of physics, the electricity that is actually delivered to your home is determined by which power generators are located closest to you. The New England electric grid is managed and operated by the Independent System Operator (ISO-NE). ISO-NE is responsible for managing the schedule of which power plants should run when, so there’s always enough power being generated to meet the needs of the region. Because they run intermittently but do not need costly “ramp ups” to get going, renewable energy generators are given preference in adding electrons to the grid when they are operating.

Energy that is produced from rapidly replenishable or infinite sources, such as the sun, wind, and water, is considered renewable. Electricity generated from renewable sources has a lower impact on public health and the environment than that produced from fossil fuel and nuclear resources for many reasons, including:

• It emits little or no air emissions.
• It does not produce harmful radioactive waste.
• Its fuel sources do not need to be mined or extracted from the earth at alarming rates.

The environmental attributes of renewable energy are the environmental characteristics of the electrons from a renewable energy resource. For every one megawatt-hour unit of electricity that is generated in New England from a renewable energy source, a corresponding "renewable energy certificate" is produced to match. Each certificate documents the characteristics of the power source, information such as air emissions, fuel source, generation date, and date the generator began operating. When these certificates are produced by a renewable resource, they are frequently referred to as Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). The Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE) issues and tracks these certificates through a region-wide accounting system, called the Generation Information System (GIS), which ensures that no double counting is allowed (since you cannot use electrons more than once, you cannot claim a REC to match your electricity use more than once).

Consumers must buy RECs in order to claim the renewable electrons they represent. Though this may seem convoluted, it is necessary to the renewable energy market in some states (Massachusetts & Rhode Island included). Developers in New England rely on REC revenue to help make a project profitable. Plus, since the grid is an electron soup, there is no way to claim renewable energy without RECs to represent it. There is market demand for certificates associated with renewable energy resources because consumers wish to support cleaner energy and electric utilities must meet renewable energy mandates.

When a consumer chooses green power, it means that their green power provider will purchase enough renewable energy certificates to match the customer’s electricity consumption. That is what Green Energy Consumers’s green power program does on our members’ behalf.

You don’t. Whether or not you choose to support renewable electricity, you draw upon the "pool" of power that makes up the New England electric grid. While it is physically impossible to distinguish and deliver individual electrons to specific homes or businesses, by choosing green power (purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates to match your consumption), you are ensuring that renewable electricity is being delivered to the power grid on your behalf, thus creating a cleaner, healthier overall energy mix.

There are currently three basic ways you can support renewable electricity:

• If you are a National Grid or Eversource customer, you can sign up for Green Power programs by choosing one of Green Energy Consumers’s 25% or 100% Green Energy Options;
• You can make recurring or one-time contributions for renewable energy certificates separate from your utility bill by donating to the New England Wind Fund;
• You can install your own renewable energy system, like solar panels. Though installing solar panels doesn't necessarily lower your personal carbon footprint (learn more about that here), more solar panels make our grid greener! For businesses, there may also be opportunities to choose renewable electricity from a competitive electricity supplier and make the cost more manageable. NOTE: to have an impact on regional development, ask your supplier to procure Class I RECs over and above what is required by the state RPS.

1) Sign up for Green Power Programs

We offer two green power options: New England Green Start and New England Wind. They differ in the types of renewable energy they support, but both come from resources within New England and payments for each are 100% federally tax-deductible. As the name suggests, New England Wind exclusively supports Massachusetts and Rhode Island community-scale wind resources, while New England GreenStart supports an array of technologies, including wind and solar.

National Grid Customers:

If you are a National Grid customer, you can participate in our green power programs through National Grid’s GreenUp program, which enables you to pay for renewable electricity right on your regular monthly utility bill. Mass Energy works with National Grid, the state’s largest utility, to offer New England GreenStart and New England Wind to residential and small commercial customers through this program. After joining, the program you choose will appear under the “GreenUp” section of your bill. Paying your bill is still one simple step, but now you’re making a big difference for local renewable energy.

Eversource Western MA customers (formerly WMECO):

You have an option that works very much like the National Grid program. Read above.

Eversource Eastern MA Customers (formerly NSTAR):

If you are an Eversource Eastern MA customer, you can match your monthly electricity use with a monthly payment on your credit or debit card. Mass Energy communicates with Eversource Eastern MA to receive your usage, then charges your card to match the kWh you used each month. It’s automatic and easy.

Were you previously a member of NSTAR Green? This is the perfect alternative for you!

2) Choose Renewable Energy Certificates

Customers who do not have National Grid or Eversource as their electric utility company can still participate in the New England Wind Fund program completely separate from their utility bill. This program allows you to support the same projects included in the New England Wind program offered to National Grid and Eversource customers. You may make a one-time or monthly recurring contribution via a credit card.

3) Installing Solar Panels

One of the most direct ways to support the generation of renewable energy resources is to install a system at your own home or business. Though installing solar panels doesn't necessarily lower your personal carbon footprint (learn more about that here), more solar panels make our grid greener! If you think you may be interested in installing your own solar PV system, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-287-3950, and we can help set you in the right direction.

Here is a table that breaks down your options:

In Massachusetts, different kinds of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are separated into Classes based on criteria in the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS). “Class I” RECs come from specifically defined New England renewable energy generators built since 1997. All electricity suppliers must source 13% of their electric load from Class I RECs in 2018, and the amount required goes up 1% every year. This means that your standard Basic Service electricity mix includes 13% renewable energy (in 2018). Because Class I RECs are part of this “compliance market,” they incentivize more renewable energy on the New England power grid.

It is critical to choose Class I RECs. when you make the switch to renewable energy because your purchase keeps a Class I REC away from the utility or electricity supplier who needs to buy one to comply with the Mass. Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). This means the utility must find another Class I REC to buy.

In other words, choosing Class I RECs ensures that more renewable energy is brought onto the grid above and beyond what is required by law. Non-Class I REC purchases do not incentivize new projects. Purchasing RECs from Non-Class I projects does not push us forward, as these projects would have been built whether or not someone buys the RECs.

However, even though they are worth only a fraction of a penny, non-Class I RECs are sold because… why not? When utilities don’t buy them, many “green” competitive suppliers, like Viridian or North American Power, will purchase and re-sell these RECs to New Englanders as a miracle renewable energy product that is cheaper than normal electricity. This is greenwashing. If you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island, purchasing a REC from a huge farm in Texas, for example, is not shifting our grid away from fossil fuels, and it is not shifting Texas’s grid away from fossil fuels. It does absolutely nothing. Click here to learn more about different types of RECs and the dangers of greenwashing.

Your payments purchase Renewable Energy Certificates from renewable energy generators in our region. RECs are a valuable source of income for renewable energy developers, without which they would not be able to secure funding for projects in development. Keep reading about why our green power program works. Mass Energy signs long-term REC purchase contracts with projects (often during the development phase) on behalf of our members. These contracts guarantee a vital source of revenue to the developer and help them secure the needed funding.

1. Enroll online, quickly and easily.
2. Be sure to have a copy of your Eversource or National Grid electric bill available for easy reference to your account information.
3. Not a National Grid or Eversource electric customer? Click here to become a New England Wind monthly contributor.
4. If you would prefer to receive an application in the mail or join over the phone, please call our office at 1-800-287-3950 x5 and one of our customer service representatives will assist you.

For National Grid and Eversource Western MA Customers: For National Grid customers, green power is offered through a program called GreenUp. For Eversource Western MA customers, green power is available through the WGO (WMECO Green Options) program. Options are available for both residential and small commercial customers. As your electricity supplier, National Grid or Eversource will continue to provide your electricity and perform all of its normal functions and services, while Green Energy Consumers will be responsible for providing your renewable energy beyond the minimum percentage required by state law. The renewable energy charges will show up right on your electric bill, and you will still make one payment to your utility. It’s easy!

For Eversource Eastern MA Customers: You’ll still receive your bill from Eversource, which will not include your green power charges. However, Green Energy Consumers will receive information about your kWh usage from Eversource in order to match your exact electricity usage with local renewable energy. You will be billed and charged for green power via a credit card. If you want to understand more about how this works, visit the section "Why Switching Works".

View our terms of service here. For more info on the difference between our two green power mixes, click here.

GreenUp is National Grid's green power supply program. We are a supplier to that program. Our 100% and 25% options, formerly called New England GreenStart and New England Wind, are available through GreenUp. You must choose one. In contrast to other green power suppliers, one of our major incentives is tax-deductibility, as we are non-profit and your contributions are recognized as charitable and for the public good.

For National Grid Customers and Eversource Western MA Customers: Payments will be included in your monthly utility bill. The charges will show up on a separate line item from basic service charges.

For Eversource Eastern MA customers: Payments for either program will be charged to a credit card separately from your monthly utility bill, but the charge will be based on your exact kWh usage.

Yes! Green Energy Consumers is a non-profit organization, and your payments are recognized as being made for the public good. They are considered a tax-deductible charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes, if you itemize on your federal return. 

Get your receipt: You can download your tax receipt for previous years by logging in to our My Account site. We send tax receipts by mail or email before January 31st each year.

If you are enrolled in the 25% level, you would be able to deduct 2.2 cents for each kilowatt-hour you paid for in the calendar tax year. If you are enrolled in the 100% level, you would be able to deduct 3.8 cents per kilowatt-hour you paid for. You cannot get this benefit from any other renewable energy supplier in Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Green Energy Consumers will provide you with an annual tax letter that details the amount that you may deduct.

There are no additional and/or required fees associated with enrolling in Green Powered. You may be invited to join or make a charitable contribution to Green Energy Consumers’s other programs.

In the event of a power outage or other service disruption, you should contact your electric utility (National Grid or Eversource).

For National Grid and Eversource Western MA customers: Payments will be included in your monthly utility bill, and you will see the charges as a separate line item.

For Eversource Eastern MA customers: Your electricity bill will not change. However, your kWh usage will be shared with Green Energy Consumers and you will be charged separately for matching renewable energy certificates.

You can opt out at any time by calling us at 617-397-5199 or emailing hello@greenenergyconsumers.org. When you opt out, your enrollment will finish out the billing cycle before ending, so you will likely see one final charge.

The two differences between our program options are the price and the sources of renewable energy that make up each one.

25% is 2.2 cents per kWh (in addition to regular electric charges) and is sourced locally from a mix of wind, solar, and digester gas (cow power). This option will match 25% of your electricity usage. It is Class I.

100% is 3.8 cents per kwh (in additional to regular electric charges) and is sourced locally from 100% wind. It is 100% Class I.

It is sourced from 100% new wind power in New England, with a focus on MA & RI.

It consists only of Class I wind resources, located primarily in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 100% Class I.

It consists of 25% new renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and anaerobic digester gas (cow power). All of the resources are located in New England.

View a map of our current resources and visit our local sources page.

All of the renewable energy is generated from Class I renewable energy resources, though we only provide enough through this option to match 25% of your usage. Those that are interested in a higher percentage of Class I renewables should consider 100%, which is sourced exclusively from Class I wind resources. Note: in Rhode Island, this option has 30%

Our New England Wind Fund is open and accepting contributions! We first started the New England Wind Fund back in 2002, because we had more demand for wind energy than there were viable wind projects in the area. Because of changes in policy and voluntary support from people like our members, this is no longer the case. There are dozens of turbines now, but it is still not enough to meet our climate goals. We need more wind, and New England Wind Fund allows Green Energy Consumers to support more wind projects.

Because of the Fund, we are able to spend $100,000 more on wind power annually.

Contribute today. Contributions to the New England Wind Fund can be made on a one-time or monthly basis, or given as a gift. You contribution will be spent within 10 years to buy wind power from a local turbine.