What's next for corporate clean energy buyers
Vanishing tax credits, tightening GHG standards, and your 2030 climate targets.
PART 1: VANISHING TAX CREDITS
Building new renewable energy projects is about to get more expensive.
The 2025 OBBB reconciliation package has redrawn the landscape for renewable energy development. While the Inflation Reduction Act promised long-term stability, the new law has dramatically curtailed support for solar and wind and introduced sweeping restrictions on foreign supply chains.
Developers are now racing against the clock to begin construction in time to secure clean energy tax credits. For corporate energy buyers, this will have major ripple effects.
Renewable energy is about to get more expensive.
Building new projects is going to get more expensive as is meeting 2030 goals. There is still time to avoid the crunch from both dynamics. Developers are rushing to meet federal deadlines and secure tax credits. GHG Protocol will continue to allow annual matching under long-term contracts signed before the new rules are approved. Now is the time to act.
Tax credit support for wind and solar has been severely cut short.
Projects must start construction by July 4, 2026 or be operational by Dec 31, 2027 to qualify for full credits.
Foreign supply chain restrictions.
Many solar projects will no longer qualify for credits unless they avoid China-linked components, which covers almost everything available today.
Developers are scrambling to meet federal deadlines.
Projects that don’t start soon may never get built, or will cost significantly more. Industry analysts estimate cost increases for solar around $15/MWh - costs that flow directly into VPPA prices.
For corporate buyers, this means...
Costs are already on the rise.
Scarcity of high-quality projects post-2026.
Fewer opportunities to claim additionality and impact.
Key insight: There is still time to avoid the crunch. Supporting a 2026 project is your best bet to secure supply before costs spike.
PART 2: TIGHTENING GHG STANDARDS
New GHG accounting rules could reshape the voluntary energy markets.
The GHG Protocol is considering major changes to Scope 2 rules that would require companies to match their purchased clean energy to their actual electricity use on an hourly and regional basis.
While well-intentioned, this shift could make clean energy procurement much harder and less impactful. Hourly matching means complex tracking requirements, fragmented regional markets, and new barriers to the long-term, high-impact, procurement strategies like VPPAs that actually get projects built.
For many companies, especially those with limited resources, the added complexity could reduce participation altogether, slowing down the very progress these guidelines are meant to accelerate.
Renewable energy is about to get more expensive.
Building new projects is going to get more expensive as is meeting 2030 goals. There is still time to avoid the crunch from both dynamics. Developers are rushing to meet federal deadlines and secure tax credits. GHG Protocol will continue to allow annual matching under long-term contracts signed before the new rules are approved. Now is the time to act.
If adopted as currently proposed:
Companies would need to prove their electricity use was covered by purchasing clean energy in the same hour and same region.
More complex accounting could fragment demand, raise complexity and costs, and reduce participation.
Undermining impactful strategies like High-Impact REC contracts and traditional PPAs could lead to fewer projects being built.
Key insight: The GHG Protocol will continue to allow annual matching under long-term contracts signed before the new rules are approved.
PART 3: THE SAME CLIMATE DEADLINE
The clock is ticking on your 2030 targets.
All of this is unfolding as thousands of companies are entering the critical stretch of their 2030 climate commitments increasing demand for RECs, PPAs, and other clean energy contracts to hit ambitious Scope 2 targets.
All these changes are happening at once, creating a perfect storm. Development timelines are getting compressed while compliance gets more complicated, and demand keeps growing. If you wait too long, you will end up paying more for options that don't deliver the impact you need.
Renewable energy is about to get more expensive.
Building new projects is going to get more expensive as is meeting 2030 goals. There is still time to avoid the crunch from both dynamics. Developers are rushing to meet federal deadlines and secure tax credits. GHG Protocol will continue to allow annual matching under long-term contracts signed before the new rules are approved. Now is the time to act.
Get ahead of market shifts and avoid rising costs.
Secure access to high-impact RECs with fixed prices and simple contracts.
Lock in today's pricing before project scarcity and regulatory changes drive costs up.
Choose solutions that go beyond checking the box to create real impact you can defend.
Access exclusive opportunities through Ever.green
Ever.green helps companies procure High-Impact RECs and forward contracts that support new clean energy development, without the legal and accounting complexity of a traditional PPA.
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