Steps to Become a Green Power Community

The steps to join EPA’s Green Power Partnership as a community are simple and easy. The following graphic illustrates two different paths that communities can take to become an EPA Green Power Community (GPC).

• Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Path
• Local Government Campaign Path

Map and List of Green Power Communities
This page shows the location and the green power amounts and percentages of current EPA’s Green Power Communities.

For information on how an organization can join the Green Power Partnership please visit our "Join as an Organization" webpage.

For additional information on EPA's usage requirements, eligible resources, eligible supply options, and other requirements, please consult the Partnership Requirements (pdf).

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Path

1. Connect with EPA – Contact us to learn more and ask questions about becoming a Green Power Community. EPA can discuss with you examples of other, similar communities that have achieved Green Power Community status.
2. Define community boundaries – Determine the geographic boundary of the community that will be joining the Partnership. For example, city limits that define the border of the city. A larger community, such as a county, will need to encompass all municipalities (ex. cities, towns, villages) within its geographic boundaries. If a county joins as a GPC, all GPCs within the county community boundary will be rolled up into the county GPC. Counties should coordinate with localities on this issue.
3. Assess community-wide electricity use – Assess the total amount of electricity use across all electricity consumers (i.e., governmental, commercial, institutional, and residential) within the community’s geographic boundary. The reported community-wide base electricity use must include the electricity from both CCA program participants and non-participants. Then assess the amount of green power use as a percentage of the community’s total annual electricity use. Your local utility and CCA providers can be helpful in determining the community’s total electricity use, as well as the amount of green power use. At least five (5) percent of the community’s total annual electricity use must come from eligible sources (pdf) for a community to be recognized as an EPA Green Power Community.
4. Complete a Community Reporting Form – Complete a Community Reporting Form and submit it to EPA. Each community will be assigned an account manager with EPA’s Green Power Partnership.

5. 

   Communicate your Partnership – One of the benefits afforded to Green Power Communities is that each will receive two street signs (pdf) from EPA that can be placed in the community to signify your status as an EPA Green Power Community. EPA is also available to support your communications objectives around your Partnership with EPA.
6. Report green power usage annually – All Partners are required to provide EPA with an annual update on their green power use. Each year, EPA will provide every existing Partner with a Community Reporting Form that includes all previously reported information on record. The Partner is required to update the form with any changes in green power use and return the spreadsheet form to EPA.

Local Government Campaign Path

1. Connect with EPA – Contact us to learn more and ask questions about becoming a Green Power Community. EPA can discuss with you examples of other, similar communities who have achieved Green Power Community status.
2. Define community boundaries – Determine the geographic boundary of the community that will be joining the Partnership, something like city limits or county boundary on a map. A larger community (ex. a county) will need to encompass all smaller communities (ex. cities, towns, villages) within its geographic boundaries. If a county joins as a GPC, all GPCs within the county community boundary will be rolled up into the county GPC. Counties should coordinate with localities on this issue.
3. Measure stakeholder interest – Under this path, the local government—often in coordination with the local utility’s green power supply program—will challenge the community to purchase and use green power through a campaign in amounts that collectively meet EPA’s minimum green power use requirements of five percent. The local government, as the champion of the community green power campaign, should engage with community stakeholders first to gauge interest in participating in the campaign and becoming an EPA Green Power Community.
4. Make a municipal government purchase – EPA requires that, as part of the local government campaign path, the local government shall purchase green power and join the Green Power Partnership as an organization. This is an important step in taking a leadership position within the community and rallying support among community members.
5. Assess community-wide electricity use – Assess the total amount of electricity use across all governmental, commercial, institutional, and residential electricity consumers within the community’s geographic boundaries. Your local utility can be helpful in determining the community’s total electricity use, as well as the amount of green power use. At least five (5) percent of the community’s total annual electricity use must come from eligible sources (pdf) for a community to be recognized as an EPA Green Power Community.
6. Launch your green power campaign – Raise awareness within the community of the green power campaign and the community’s interest to become an EPA Green Power Community. In coordination with your utility, provide community stakeholders an accessible option to enroll in a utility green power program.
7. Complete a Community Reporting Form – Complete a Community Reporting Form and submit it to EPA. Each community will be assigned an account manager with EPA’s Green Power Partnership.
8. Communicate your Partnership – One of the benefits afforded to Green Power Communities is that each will receive two street signs (pdf) from EPA that can be placed in the community to signify your status as an EPA Green Power Community. EPA is also available to support your communications objectives around your Partnership with EPA.
9. Report Green Power Usage Annually – All Partners are required to provide EPA with an annual update on their green power use. Each year, EPA will provide every existing Partner with a Community Reporting Form that includes all previously reported information on record. The Partner is required to update the spreadsheet with any changes in green power use and return the spreadsheet form to EPA.

Learn more about:

• Eligibility and Partnership requirements to become an EPA Green Power Partner (pdf);
• The benefits of Partnership with EPA; and
• Joining the Green Power Partnership as an Organization Partner.