Now that school is back in session, the mornings are crisp, and the smell of pumpkin spice is in the air, many Needhamites are thinking about green electricity. Seriously, we wish that were the case. Actually, most of us don’t think about where our electricity comes from. But through Needham Power Choice, every participating household in town can choose to power their home with 100% renewable energy — and it’s surprisingly affordable.
The “Needham Standard” option, in which 8,500 local households and businesses were automatically enrolled, already brings an extra 15 percent renewable energy content to the grid. The “Needham 100% Green” option increases that to 100 percent local, renewable energy.
Why Choose 100% Green?
1. It’s Surprisingly Affordable
The Needham 100% Green option costs 15.3¢ per kilowatt-hour for supply, compared to 12.9¢ for Needham Standard. For a typical household, that’s about $220 more per year, or $18 per month. That’s the equivalent of a couple of restaurant take-out meals, or as one Needham resident put it, “about 37 Starbucks lattes per year.”
2. It Adds New Clean Energy to the Grid
Opting up to Needham 100% Green doesn’t just shuffle around existing green power supply. The extra cost of the 100% Green is used to help fund new renewable energy projects. This keeps our green power generation capability growing, reduces the region’s reliance on fossil fuels, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. With Federal support for renewable energy projects being decimated, every bit helps.
3. It Supports Local Renewable Energy
Unlike some programs that buy generic renewable credits from faraway states, Needham Power Choice verifies that the sources of its 100% Green option come from Northeast-based renewable projects. That means more wind, solar, and hydro generation here in New England, directly supporting our regional clean energy transition.
4. It’s the Right Thing to Do
Several Needham residents who opted up said the same thing: they chose 100% Green because it aligned with their values — protecting the climate and building a more sustainable future for our community. As one resident put it, “I wanted to do it because it was the right thing to do. It adds new renewable energy to the power grid and it’s not that expensive.”
Go 100% Green Now
If you’re already in Needham Power Choice, switching is simple. Just visit the Needham Power Choice website and select the 100% Green option. You will be asked to provide some basic information from your paper or online electric bill. You can also call the Needham Power Choice helpline at 844-379-2171. The change will appear on your Eversource bill within a month or so — no new account, no installer visit, no hassle. Not sure if you’re in Needham Power Choice? Check your Eversource bill. Participants will see CONSTELLATION – NEEDHAM POWER CHOICE under Current Charges for Electricity – Supply.
Needham has already set itself apart by choosing a greener default option (42% renewables vs. Eversource’s 27%). But we can go further. If just 200 households opted up (that’s ten percent of the people getting this email), the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be equivalent to not driving almost a million miles each year.
Let’s send a strong signal that Needhamites are committed to climate action. The choice is ours. For just a few dollars a month, you can help power Needham with 100% clean, local energy.
