Energy Design Resources: All Resources: page 11

The intent of this credit is to decrease dependence on fossil fuel energy use by employing on-site renewable energy self-supply systems.

Requirements for Certification:

Implement on-site renewable energy systems such that 2.5% (1 pt.), 7.5% (2 pts.), or 12.5% (3 pts.) of the total annual energy costs are generated by on-site renewable energy systems.

Successful Strategies:

Contact local utilities or electric service providers to determine if net metering is available.
Consider photovoltaic, solar thermal, geothermal, wind, biomass, and bio-gas energy technologies.

Helpful Hints:

The installation of renewable energy generation systems (wind, PV, biomass etc.) may be incorporated into an education and outreach program for an Innovation and Design point (IDc1).
This credit has synergies with EAc1 energy saving calculations. In a certain sense, renewable energy generation is rewarded twice by the LEED rating system.
Passive solar design, daylighting strategies, and ground-source heat pumps are not eligible for EAc2.
Project teams should pursue the many energy incentives and rebates offered by California for renewable energy generation systems.
Consider use of on-site distributed energy such as fuel cells and waste heat recovery.
Useful references:
- www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/index.html
- www.consumerenergycenter.org/erprebate/index.html

Historical Data (updated June 2006):

48% of all California LEED Certified projects achieved this credit under LEED v2.1.
California LEED Certified projects achieved 1.4 credits on average for EAc2 under LEED v2.1.