How exactly does Green-e Certified Renewable Energy Credits work?

Question

how exactly does someone save money by buying these certificates ? does this mean that someone who pays 300 a month on gas can just buy this certificate and then it will go down to $70 a month because you went green?

Answer 1

you send in money to the green credit company.  Here's what happens.  You send in $100.  $25 dollars goes to keep the office and mail room working.  $25 goes into advertising for others to send them money, $25 goes into the owners pocket and finally, $25 is spent on planting a tree that has already been sitting in a nursery farm for the last 2 years growing up to a size big enough to transplant.

Sometime the $25 is lent to a company that builds a wind generator.  The wind generator company makes a profit on the generator and pays a kick back to the owners of the green credit owner.

Its a scam to get you to send money to them.  You'd be better off sending $100 to your favorite charity and you will not only feel good you will seriously help the world.

Answer 2

I don't think the certificates are designed to save you money. My utility company has a program called greeen energy that cost me about 1/2 of 1%, so about $10 in the summer. They will buy electricity from renewable/clean sources in the amount that the participants in the program use. This helps build the demand for renewable energy and fund new projects. Part of the program also helps with the rebates offered for homes and businesses to install solar systems.

I know you can buy credits to offset travel and a variety of other things, but again I don't think they are designed to save money. It is a way for people who want to do their part to reduce carbon emissions to help fund programs that will help reduce CO2 in other ways.