If greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation is inevitable, what can you do to protect your company when this happens? 

One strategy that’s gaining popularity before all the climate change rules hit is to plan on buying electricity from renewable energy providers. Your company gets green credits for reducing GHG emissions by buying some or even all of your power from green suppliers.

Many companies are doing that now — laying the groundwork to find alternatives to relying solely on power plants that burn fossil fuels like coal.

The latest proof that the corporate world is on the clean energy bandwagon comes from EPA. It just honored 17 companies that voluntarily buy renewable power under EPA’s Green Power Partnership program. Wind power was clearly the big winner this year, but EPA’s green nod goes to any mix of:

• solar
• wind
• geothermal
• biogas
• biomass, and
• low-impact hydro.

A good place to start your search is to check out the Department of Energy’s Green Power Network. Click on a state of interest and bingo, DOE’s site gives you a list of possible clean energy suppliers. For example, clicking on Arkansas reveals 17 Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and 26 other suppliers that provide clean power.

You can also download EPA’s Guide for Purchasing Green Power.

Right, now you’ll pay a premium for most clean electricity. However these prices are expected to become more cost-effective if Congress adopts a cap-and-trade bill as requested by President Obama.

Some companies are in the shop-and-learn mode right now, collecting names of potential energy suppliers until the time is right for them to make the switch.

However, many other companies aren’t waiting around. They’re already buying clean energy, and they’ve just picked up Green Power Leadership Awards from EPA. Some of this year’s winners include:

• Deutsche Bank AG — for purchasing 100% wind power for U.S. operations
• Intel Corp. — for using solar power to provide 50% of its electricity
• Kohl’s Department Stores — invested in solar power to provide 50% of its power
• Mohawk Fine Papers, Inc. — for switching to 100% wind power
• Beulieur Commercial — buys 100% of its electricity from wind power suppliers
• Bloomburg LP — uses wind and biomass to provide 64% of its power
• EarthColor — relies on wind power for 100% of its energy, and
• Motorola, Inc. — uses wind to supply 20% of its power.

More winners are listed on EPA’s Web site.

Tags: geothermal, Intel, Kohl's, Mohawk Fine Papers, Motorola, solar power, wind power