What Green Electricity Plans Actually Mean
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A green electricity plan typically means the retailer purchases renewable energy certificates matching some or all of a household's electricity use, rather than physically routing a distinct stream of renewable electrons specifically to that particular customer's home through the shared grid infrastructure everyone in the area draws from equally.
This works because electricity from all generation sources mixes together on a shared grid, making it physically impossible to trace specific electrons back to their original source. Certificates instead provide an accounting mechanism that verifies a matching amount of renewable generation was added to the grid on the customer's behalf during that period.
The practical effect of choosing such a plan is financial support for renewable generation rather than a literal change in what flows through the wires to a particular home. Understanding this distinction helps households evaluate green plans on their actual mechanism rather than a simplified marketing description offered at sign up.