The WEATS marketplace is the first clean energy buying platform where customers can see the carbon impact of their purchases, tracked to the hourly level. It's also the first platform to include distributed energy resources, like rooftop solar, heat pumps, and batteries, which can be deployed immediately, in areas where the impact is greatest.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, WattCarbon, a climate tech company revolutionizing clean energy certificates, launched a new marketplace to facilitate greater climate impact from corporate clean energy purchases.
The WEATS marketplace is the first clean energy exchange to include distributed energy resources (DERs), like batteries, heat pumps, and rooftop solar. With nearly one-third of total US emissions stemming from energy in buildings, investing in DERs immediately cuts fossil fuel use, and supports new clean energy that can be deployed immediately.
"Distributed energy resources are like a secret weapon for climate impact. They can target the dirtiest grids, and the dirtiest hours, and they drive real social benefits," said McGee Young, WattCarbon's CEO. "Best of all, they can be online in weeks instead of years, which is critical to meeting our goals amidst spiking power demands."
WattCarbon's new WEATS marketplace fills an important gap as the energy transition accelerates and the traditional clean energy strategy of buying RECs no longer achieves the desired results. In fact, a recent study from Princeton University found that most of the common ways of purchasing clean energy are having little effect on long-term carbon emissions reductions.
The key is to deploy new clean energy when and where fossil fuel-generated power would have been used instead. Now, buyers can purchase clean energy certificates from specific technology types and receive verifiable proof of their climate impact in the form of Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). Unlike RECs, WattCarbon's EACs show the exact time and place the clean energy was deployed, along with the resulting carbon emission reductions.
"We describe them as 'RECs with purpose,' which means providing visibility into the carbon and social impacts of clean energy, so companies can be purposeful about what they're supporting." says Young.
That type of granular, traceable proof of impact is essential for corporate sustainability teams who face heightened scrutiny – but they are far from the only ones who stand to benefit. Corporate purchases also help lower costs for customers adopting DERs, making it easier for them to install a heat pump, add battery storage, or switch to rooftop solar.
The WEATS marketplace is paired with WattCarbon's hourly registry, the first public registry to unlock hourly clean energy procurement. Hourly matching is increasingly necessary to meet new requirements, like the 45V hydrogen tax credit, and is viewed by experts as the best way to scale clean energy at times otherwise powered by fossil fuels. Now, buyers can purchase EACs that occur, say, at 8pm specifically, which reduce energy consumption and emissions during the dirtiest hours of the grid.
More than 30 clean energy companies across the U.S. have already signed up to list their DERs on the marketplace, with dozens more to be added in the coming weeks. When buying EACs from the marketplace, users are able to read the unique impact story for each supplier, and see the exact location, energy and carbon impacts for every EAC listed.
Current suppliers include:
- BlocPower: Electrification
- Branch Energy: Batteries
- C3 Carbon Funding: Energy efficiency
- Elephant Energy: Electrification
- Elexity: Energy efficiency
- Future Fit Partners: Electrification
- Gemini Energy: Solar
- LEAP: Demand response
- Nimble Energy: Energy efficiency
- QuitCarbon: Electrification
- Solar Holler: Solar
About WattCarbon
WattCarbon provides a tracking and procurement platform for distributed clean energy certificates. WattCarbon's mission is to steer billions of dollars towards local clean energy investments that reduce carbon emissions and lower energy bills. WattCarbon operates WEATS, the verified registry for DERs, and the WEATS Marketplace, the hourly market for distributed energy attribute certificates (EACs).
Media Contact
Sarah Emery, WattCarbon, 1 2146162401, [email protected], https://www.wattcarbon.com/
SOURCE WattCarbon
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