NRG Launches Carbon Offset "Subscription" Offering

NRG is offering monthly and annual carbon offset "subscriptions" to its electricity and natural gas customers, and others, through a new website, picknrgoffsets.com

NRG has created five categories based on annualized average consumption data of American consumers by the World Bank and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for emissions connected with various activities.

NRG Offsets monthly subscriptions include:

1. Driving Offsets: NRG says this offsets up to 950 miles of driving; offset of 0.5 mT of CO2 emissions per month. Cost is $4.50 per month under a recurring subscription

2. Air Travel Offsets: Includes three categories: domestic travel, close international (places like South America and the Caribbean) and long international (places like Asia and Africa). Cost of 1 mT of carbon offsets is $9 per month under a recurring subscription

3. Offset Electricity Use: For every month the customer is enrolled in this product, NRG will retire enough carbon offsets to cover the emissions from household electricity up to approximately 900 kWh per month. Cost: $4.50 per month under a recurring subscription

4. Offset Gas Usage: Includes 0.5 metric ton of carbon offsets per month. Cost: $4.50 per month under a recurring subscription

5. Offset by Quantity: Choose to offset between 0.5-2 metric tons per month based on monthly habits (or activities). Offset of 0.5 mT is priced at $4.50 per month under a recurring subscription. Customers can add quantities, (such as another 0.5 mT priced at $4.50) to achieve the desired reduction

For customers who want to purchase a specific number of carbon offsets, NRG provides a custom option, where customers can select the quantity of metric tons of CO2 that they want to offset at any point in time.

While most of the options are subscriptions, NRG will work with customers who prefer one-time approaches to manage their carbon footprint as well. Generally, the per-month subscription prices listed above represent a 10% discount to the price for a one-time offset in the same amount

NRG's site also offers to "green up" customers' electricity supply with RECs at 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 kWh usage. The 1,000 kWh RECs are priced at $13.50 per month if part of a recurring subscription