Corporate Clean Energy Procurement Index 2020

The first Corporate Clean Energy Procurement Index: State Leadership & Rankings was published in 2017 and helped guide companies in their efforts to boost commercial and industrial (C&I) renewable electricity (RE) usage across their operations in the United States.  

In the three years since the index’s initial analysis and publication, state-level RE markets have undergone dramatic evolutions on multiple fronts, including: commercial development, utility engagement, advances in RE technology and development economics, state-level policy frameworks, substantial growth in voluntary C&I RE purchases, and an evolution in buyer experience, sophistication, and expectations. These market changes have created an opportunity to refine and update the index for 2020 and provide companies with the granular insights that they need to make effective RE sourcing decisions across their U.S. operations. 

While developed by RILA, this index is broadly applicable to many stakeholders, including other business sectors, the military, higher education institutions, and state and local governments. While the index has many potential uses, one key purpose is to assist RE buyers in selecting states with favorable RE policy conditions and to assist policymakers and RE buyers in advancing policies that help, rather than hinder, RE development. 

The report notest that more than 22 GW of corporate renewable energy deals have been announced in the U.S. since 2008, with over 13.5 GW of purchases announced in 2018 and 2019 alone, according to the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA). Retail and tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Target and Wal-Mart are among nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies seeking to locate operations in states with access to clean energy production due to cost effectiveness, fossil fuel price volatility and pollution concerns. The index is intended to inform business leaders and guide state policymakers hoping to attract new job-creating businesses and foster economic growth.

According to Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA):

“This report confirms that when we create open, fair markets that allow renewables to compete, top corporations increasingly choose low-cost solar energy. Companies are deploying on- and off-site solar at an impressive clip. This index will help businesses make smarter decisions about where to locate their projects while signaling to states with less solar friendly policies that they have work to do if they want to jumpstart local solar energy and draw corporate investment.”