How to procure renewable electricity instruments/programs and operate them cleanly (RFP → contract → inventory → claims)
Not legal advice. Contracts and public claims should be reviewed by appropriate counsel/compliance.
Procurement teams
Sourcing renewable options
Sustainability teams
Market-based reporting and claims
Finance teams
Cost, risk, and auditability
Common objectives: market-based Scope 2 reduction (with documented instruments), claim posture improvement (with safe disclosures), cost predictability / hedging (finance-led), compliance alignment (policy/standards-driven).
Options (choose what matches your reality):
Utility green program / tariff
Unbundled certificates
Fast, scalable
Long-term contract structures
Complex, high commitment
Onsite generation
Where applicable
Beginner rule: The best procurement pathway is the one you can document and operate reliably.
Minimum requirements: documented quantity and period coverage, clear evidence deliverables, clear ownership / retirement or allocation mechanics, clear reporting cadence and data format, ability to reconcile against consumption (kWh).
You can do: a lightweight vendor comparison (2–5 providers), or an RFP for larger, multi-region programs.
Your contract checklist must include: what instrument/program is being provided, how quantity is defined (kWh), the coverage period (year/vintage), what evidence is delivered and when, what claims are permitted (or not), termination/renewal terms aligned to your renewal controls.
You need: inventory table, evidence links, reconciliation checks (consumption vs instruments), exceptions log.
No one should publish claims from memory. Use a simple approval workflow: sustainability drafts, finance confirms quantities, legal/compliance approves language (where needed), leadership signs off.
Renewable Procurement Objective Objective (pick one primary): Scope: Coverage target (kWh or %): Reporting year: Constraints: - budget: - regions/sites: - timing: Approvers: - Procurement: - Sustainability: - Finance: - Legal/Compliance:
Vendor/Program Requirements - Instrument/program type: - Quantity (kWh) definition: - Coverage period (vintage/year): - Geography applicability (if relevant): - Evidence deliverables (documents, reports): - Reporting cadence: - Reconciliation support: - Claim language constraints: - Renewal/termination terms:
RFP Outline (Renewable Procurement) 1) Background + objectives 2) Portfolio consumption summary (kWh) 3) Scope: regions/sites and reporting year 4) Requested solution types (allowed options) 5) Evidence deliverables and reporting format 6) Pricing structure and fees 7) Contract terms (renewal/termination) 8) Vendor qualifications 9) Submission instructions and timeline
| Vendor | Fit to objective (1–5) | Evidence quality (1–5) | Contract clarity (1–5) | Price competitiveness (1–5) | Operational burden (1–5) | Notes | |---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---|
Contracting Checklist - Quantity (kWh) and period clearly defined - Evidence deliverables specified (what, when) - Ownership/retirement/allocation mechanics documented - Reporting format defined - Reconciliation expectations defined - Claims language / marketing restrictions defined - Renewal/termination aligned with renewal control system - Exceptions / dispute process defined
| Region/Site | Reporting year | Consumption (kWh) | Instrument type | Provider | Quantity (kWh) | Evidence link | Status (planned/active/complete) | Notes | |---|---|---:|---|---|---:|---|---|---|
Renewable Claim Approval Workflow Draft owner (Sustainability): Finance verification (kWh + inventory reconciliation): Legal/Compliance review (if public claims): Final approver (Leadership): Approved claim language stored where: Evidence links stored where:
v1.0 (2026-01): Latest release