Entergy Arkansas to offer clean energy program Go ZERO

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by Jeff Della Rosa ([email protected]) August 5, 2023 5:08 pm 1,122 views 

Little Rock-based electric utility Entergy Arkansas received regulatory approval to provide a clean energy program for industrial and commercial customers looking to meet sustainability goals, according to a Friday (Aug. 4) news release.

The Arkansas Public Service Commission recently approved Go ZERO, which stands for Zero Emissions Resource Options. The new program allows customers to receive the energy attributes from the output of Entergy Arkansas’ existing emissions-free resources and new renewable resources as they become available.

According to the news release, several companies are interested in the new program, including Arkansas Steel Associates, Big River Steel and Hybar LLC, which recently broke ground on a $700 million rebar mill in Osceola.

The federal government is participating. Entergy Arkansas and the U.S. General Services Administration have worked to develop Go ZERO to help the federal government meet the goal to source all its electricity from carbon pollution-free electricity sources by 2030, including 50% on a 24/7 basis. In November, the Biden administration announced this was the federal government’s first initiative with a utility to work toward the carbon pollution-free electricity goal.

“Go ZERO will help customers meet their sustainability goals 24/7 by using our nuclear and hydroelectric plants and our growing portfolio of renewable energy resources,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “It was designed with input from our customers, who need sustainability solutions to reduce their emissions.”

According to the release, Go ZERO also can be an economic development tool to help Arkansas recruit new businesses and support the expansion of existing ones.

The following three options are available for Go ZERO participants:

  • Subscription to Asset-Backed Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from renewable resources, with the RECs retired on behalf of the subscribing customer;
  • Provide customers with Asset-Backed Zero-Emission Alternative Energy Certificates (AECs) for the customer’s share of existing nuclear and hydro resources, with the AECs retired on behalf of the subscribing customer; and
  • 24/7 time-match reporting of the customer’s Scope 2 emissions associated with the customer’s retail electricity purchases.

According to Entergy Arkansas, there’s an additional cost to participate in the program, and the AECs have provided the most cost-effective way for customers to reduce their carbon emissions and reach their sustainability goals. The utility can provide specific pricing to interested customers if they email the company at [email protected]. Link here for more information on the Go ZERO program.

Entergy Arkansas, a subsidiary of New Orleans-based Entergy Corp., provides electricity to about 730,000 customers in 63 counties.