A Look Back, and Ahead for CRS
Accelerating the transition to clean, renewable energy is vital. There is no environmental action more important than switching to renewable energy, and we are proud of the work we accomplished this year in policy, advocacy, consumer protection, convening, and helping companies and organizations align their sustainability actions. This work meaningfully impacted state- and national-level policy, commitments to renewable energy by consumers ranging from individual residences to the largest global companies, and the support and development of people, systems, and markets to accelerate the clean energy transition.
Policy and Market Development
Our experienced policy staff works to preserve credible renewable energy markets and opportunities for customers to voluntarily purchase renewable energy that makes a difference. In 2024, this engagement included advocacy in state and federal regulatory proceedings, wholesale electricity market emissions attribution design, and voluntary standard and leadership program development. Our staff also provided expertise in energy attribute certificate tracking system design, impactful clean energy procurement, and credible claims. We are active participants in working groups, including EnergyTag, ISO, the GHG Protocol, RE100, SBTi, and we maintain an active speaking calendar.
The Clean Energy Accounting Project (CEAP), one of CRS’s fastest-growing programs, engages collaboratively with its Advisory Committee and multi-stakeholder working groups to create practical, consensus-based guidance addressing uncertainty in clean energy accounting. Launched in 2022 with founding support from Apple, Entergy, and Meta, this year CEAP released Guidance for Calculating Residual Mix, which offers a standardized methodology for calculating the attributes of unallocated energy delivered to customers on the grid. CEAP also led a “Clean Fuels Week” as part of an initiative developing market-based greenhouse gas emissions accounting guidelines for clean fuels, and published guidance for different sectors of the economy. The resulting report, Market-based Accounting for Clean Fuels, will be published in January 2025.
Consumer Protection and Quality Standards
CRS’s leading role in creating confidence in the voluntary renewable energy market through consumer protection and quality standards goes back to its founding. The Green-e® certification program was established the same year as CRS, and after 27 years continues to be invaluable in providing standards for quality and transparency in renewable energy programs offered to consumers and businesses.
The Green-e® Energy program grew significantly in 2024, with nearly 10% growth over the previous year. This year Green-e Energy certified more than 125 million megawatt-hours of retail sales to nearly 300,000 businesses and more than a million residential customers, the highest number of certified retail MWh to date. This is more than double the certified sales volume in 2017, and represents over 2.7% of total U.S. retail electricity use.
As the markets have evolved, so have the Green-e® programs, and CRS recently launched a fourth: Green-e® Renewable Fuels. The program certifies sales of biomethane (renewable natural gas) and welcomed its first participants this year. Program staff are currently working with the advisory group and the Green-e® Governance Board on the development of a new standard for green hydrogen.
Events and Education
An important part of our mission is education—providing information and resources to stakeholders, and opportunities to meet, network, and exchange knowledge and best practices. We do this chiefly through our Renewable Energy Markets (REM) conference series; a number of free webinars held throughout the year; publications (including policy comments) posted on our website; and busy conference speaking schedule—CRS staff spoke at two dozen large conferences in 2024, and attended many more.
As our REM conference enters its 30th year in 2025, it continues to provide a crucial point of focus for companies and organizations looking for guidance on their clean energy procurement, utilities and electricity service providers offering retail programs, regulators and government officials, and NGOs that provide guidance and support to the market. In April, REM Asia 2024 once again took place at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre, and drew nearly 200 participants from 20 countries. Our U.S.-based REM 2024 was in Denver in September, and featured 400 attendees and two dozen sessions on topics including renewable fuels, GHG accounting, impact-focused procurement, hourly matching, and the Inflation Reduction Act. We’re looking forward to seeing you at next year’s conferences in Singapore and Houston.
Governance
As CRS continues to grow, so does its Board of Directors, an independent group of advocates and experts charged with governing and providing strategic direction to the nonprofit organization. This year we added four experienced members to our Board: Katie McCormack, Tim Moran, Heather R. Nelson, and Laurel Passera. We will rely on their diverse experience and guidance as we continue to expand our work.
As important as we see our work, it doesn’t happen except within the community of advocates like you who focus on our common mission. We invite you to share in our work—by joining a webinar or attending an event, reading and sharing our whitepapers, reports, and comments, networking and getting up to speed at the REM conferences next year, connecting with us on LinkedIn, and signing up for emails.
Happy holidays to you and yours. We look forward to working together with you in the year ahead.
—Jennifer Martin
Executive Director
