In accordance with Section 203 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. § 15852), each fiscal year the federal government must consume at least 7.5% of its total electricity from renewable sources—referred to as the renewable electricity requirement.

As defined in 42 U.S.C. § 15852(b), renewable electricity is electric energy generated from solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, ocean (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal), geothermal, municipal solid waste, or new hydroelectric generation capacity achieved from increased efficiency or additions of new capacity at an existing hydroelectric project. Nonelectric or thermal renewable energy, including geothermal heat pumps, does not count toward the renewable electricity requirement, but will be tracked as an indicator for an agency’s OMB Scorecard.

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) helps federal agencies meet statutory requirements and accomplish their missions through investment in lasting and reliable energy-generation projects and purchases. To get started with an on-site renewable energy or distributed energy project, review FEMP’s distributed energy project implementation process and federal on-site renewable energy project financing options.

FEMP analyzes renewable energy markets to identify achievable projects for federal agencies. As an example, FEMP created a series of maps and graphs that illustrate federal facility electricity consumption and renewable energy project potential at those facilities.

Learn more about purchasing off-site renewable electricity and renewable energy certificates.