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How Green Energy Works

At this point in the world's utilization of green energy, there are few choices available to home owners and small businesses and governments. 

Roof Solar requires an initial investment, either by the owner or a lender. Home solar power is less efficient than utility genertated green energy. 

If we look at our problem as global, which it is, then we might want to weigh the agregate cost/benefit of any renewable energy source. Certainly there is a strong need for roof solar where no power infrastructure presently exists.

Local Solar enables groups of investors or residents to buy into a larger scale efficient solar/wind instillation usually in the megawatt range and located in the general area of the investor cluster. Local solar energy producers often rely on the existing power grid, which receives a transmission fee to offset infrastructure costs. Florida does not allow the formation of local solar consortiums, leaving the few state power utilities in absolute control of greenhouse gas levels from power genersation, from various sources including coal and natural gas. 

Local solar/wind, if allowed by state law, can compete with local utilities for customers. Since solar and wind are now the least expensive ways to generate power, one can see why the utilities are lobbying state governments for protection of their existing investments. The downside is continued greenhouse gas emissions.

RECs, what Arcdia does, if local solar is not allowed. REC stands for Renewable Energy Cirtificates. Recs are created by green power producers such as wind/solar/hydro. A REC comes in megawatt demoninations. RECs are purchased by corportions and utilities that are required to have a percent of their power or use in the form of renewable energy. FPL is a REC buyer, and that allows Arcadia to become an aggegator and supplier of renewable power to the home or small business/government, by factoring and brokering larger RECs. Without computers and the internet, this would not be manangable. Arcadia tracks and authenticates the REC transactions to insure regulatory compliance.

If everyone, and every business in America took advantage of RECs and services such as Arcadia, the renewable energy industry would grow exponentially, politics would be bypassed and greenhouse gas emissions greatly reduced. Homes and buildings account for 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

RECs are not perfect, but they do fuel growth  in the green energy sector, allowing investors to get affordable loans. Because solar and wind power generation is less expensive than coal or gas or nuclear, power utilities will eventully transition to renewables. The problem is the timeframe for them to become green is measured in decades, and that is probahbly too long.

What role can municipal government play in the area of Renewable Energy Cirtificates? First they can become community examples by obtaining their electric power from RECs. Second, they can educate and encoursge residents to become active in reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions, and that there is a way to reduce pollution from their home or business, immediately and without any investment.



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