Clean Energy Alliance customers receive a Power Content Label (PCL) mailer annually—yours hit your mailbox in early November. At first glance, PCLs may appear confusing. However, once you learn to read them, the labels offer insight into the power your electricity provider purchases and delivers to your home or business. In this article, we break down how to read a PCL, empowering you to make informed choices that contribute to a sustainable future.
What is a Power Content Label?
A Power Content Label outlines the energy sources used to create the energy in the energy plan for which you pay. It is designed to be clear and transparent, allowing consumers to see the environmental impact associated with their energy consumption. Clean Energy Alliance mails you a Power Content Label mailer annually.
Each Power Content Label has two key components: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity and Energy Resources. Read on to learn more about each section.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity:
This bar graph illustrates the annual greenhouse gas emissions associated with your electricity consumption. Each bar represents one of three CEA options (Clean Impact Plus, Clean Impact and Green Impact), and the graph also contains a bar that represents the state average. This statistic is expressed in pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per megawatt-hour (CO2e/mWh). Lower emissions signify a cleaner energy mix. All customers are enrolled in Clean Impact Plus, unless they have taken action to opt up or down to a different plan.
Energy Resources:
The label also outlines the percentage of energy sourced from various resources. Our categories include eligible renewable sources (biomass and biowaste, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind), coal, large hydroelectric, natural gas, nuclear, other, and unspecified power that is not traceable to a specific source. The columns to the right of “Energy Resources” breakdown the specific mix of generation sources used to provide energy for each CEA power mix.
Start by looking at the breakdown of energy sources for the power mix that you are currently enrolled in. A higher percentage of renewable generation sources indicates a cleaner energy profile. Take some time to locate the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of your mix as well. Remember: a lower CO2e/MWh value is preferable, as it indicates lower environmental impact associated with your electricity consumption.
Understanding your Power Content Label empowers you to choose a power mix for your home or business that aligns with your values. By choosing an energy plan with higher percentages of renewable energy, you contribute to the demand for sustainable practices, encouraging a shift towards cleaner sources, and supporting CEA in our mission to create a greener future.
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