Utility-scale renewables (VPPAs) 

Meet your renewable energy procurement needs and decarbonization goals with a single virtual power purchase agreement, or VPPA

What Is a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA)?

Virtual power purchase agreements are an efficient way to decarbonize

Faced with energy price volatility, market uncertainty, and stakeholder demands for sustainability, organizations are increasingly looking for ways to minimize risk and align with decarbonization targets. VPPAs enable organizations with geographically dispersed facilities to meet their renewable electricity needs while unlocking economic and sustainability benefits in line with their strategy.

A power purchase agreement is a contract between a buyer and seller of renewable electricity. With a physical PPA, a buyer contracts with a developer for purchase of physical power and associated renewable energy credits. A VPPA is a variation on a physical PPA – it is a financial transaction that delivers the environmental benefits of a renewable energy project to your organization, while electricity generated by the project flows to the grid. VPPAs do not change how organizations power their facilities. Decoupling your facility load from the renewable project provides possibilities that are difficult to achieve in other ways, making VPPAs popular method of renewable energy procurement.

#2 largest
renewable energy provider to corporates in North America, per S&P
11.3 GW 
of installed utility-scale renewable generation assets in North America
1.4 GW
of installed utility-scale energy storage capacity in North America
2 GW
of new utility-scale renewables and energy storage by 2026

How It Works

How does a virtual power purchase agreement work?

Faced with energy price volatility, market uncertainty, and stakeholder demands for sustainability, organizations are increasingly looking for ways to minimize risk and align with decarbonization targets. VPPAs enable organizations with geographically dispersed facilities to meet their renewable electricity needs while unlocking economic and sustainability benefits in line with their strategy.

A power purchase agreement is a contract between a buyer and seller of renewable electricity. With a physical PPA, a buyer contracts with a developer for purchase of physical power and associated renewable energy credits. A VPPA is a variation on a physical PPA – it is a financial transaction that delivers the environmental benefits of a renewable energy project to your organization, while electricity generated by the project flows to the grid. VPPAs do not change how organizations power their facilities. Decoupling your facility load from the renewable project provides possibilities that are difficult to achieve in other ways, making VPPAs popular method of renewable energy procurement.

How the VPPA process works

Benefits

The value of virtual power purchase agreements

Virtual power purchase agreements help you meet sustainability goals

Meet your sustainability goals

Advance Scope 2 emissions reduction targets by choosing renewable electricity to power your operations.

Virtual power purchase agreements simplify renewable energy procurement

Simplify renewable energy procurement

Use one VPPA contract to meet your renewable energy procurement needs by aggregating load across multiple geographically dispersed facilities.

Virtual power purchase agreements help you support your local economy

Support your local economy

Partner with Enel North America to create local jobs and benefit local communities via our Creating Shared Value approach to business.

Virtual power purchase agreements make renewable energy procurement efficient

Make renewable energy procurement efficient 

Use VPPAs to meet your renewable energy procurement goals quickly and efficiently.

Virtual power purchase agreements help you mitigate financial risk during volatility

Mitigate financial risk during volatility

Benefit from stable energy costs. Work with Enel’s trading desk to customize the contract structure in line with your appetite for risk.

Virtual power purchase agreements help you enhance your organization’s reputation

Enhance your organization’s reputation

Receive environmental attributes (RECs) equal to the amount of energy purchased via a VPPA.

Virtual power purchase agreements unlock additionality and marketing rights

Receive proof of impact, locationality

As an offtaker for new renewable energy projects, benefit from additionality and project-specific marketing rights. For more impact, add renewables to your regional electric grid.

Virtual power purchase agreements enable you to benefit from economies of scale

Benefit from economies of scale

Partner with other organizations on VPPA aggregations to take advantage of benefits created by large renewable energy projects.

Virtual power purchase agreements provide energy flexibility

Ensure greater control and flexibility

Partner with one company to holistically address all your energy and decarbonization goals.

Why Enel North America

We are your partner for virtual power purchase agreements

A growing renewables supermajor

The world’s largest retail electricity provider, Enel is rapidly growing with a pipeline of new diverse projects across North America.

Why Enel North America

We are your partner for virtual power purchase agreements

Demonstrated Success

Customer spotlights

Synopsys, Inc.

“Whether it’s your customers, your employees, or your investors, they’re all expecting some kind of leadership in climate initiatives. Synopsys is answering that call. We are making a difference through investments, like this wind farm, in addition to our own products that help customers design technology that demands less power.” 

Erika Varga McEnroe 
Senior Vice President, Synopsys, Inc.
Offtaker of Enel’s Azure Sky wind + storage project
Read the case study
Enel’s Azure Sky wind + storage project is helping Synopsys, Inc. reach their sustainability goals

Learn more about advancing your energy and decarbonization strategy with utility-scale renewables and VPPAs 

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