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 [Energy & Infrastructure](/categories/energy-infrastructure)

 # Lost in Translation -- Making Sense of Three Critical Renewable Energy Strategies: Power Purchase Agreements, Virtual PPAs and Renewable Energy Certificates

 

##### Guest blog by John DuPont

 

 

 Aug 3, 2016 9:00 AM ET

  Campaign:  [CSR Blogs](/news/campaign/csr-blogs)  ![](https://3blcdn.com/styles/carousel_2x/s3/2026-08/John_duPont-small_1_1786917855.jpg)

 

[Justmeans](http://www.justmeans.com/blogs/lost-in-translation-making-sense-of-three-critical-renewable-energy-strategies-power-purchase)

An increasing number of enterprises are focused on going 100% renewable, driven in large part by the recent push to established science-based carbon reduction goals. Three of the supporting energy strategy trends to help enterprises achieve these goals are Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Virtual PPAs, and Renewable Energy Certificates. None of these is probably a term that comes tripping off the tongue of the average businessperson.

But understanding these wonky terms can be essential to fully appreciating the benefits of a holistic energy strategy through the lens of what matters most to the enterprise – finding cost-effective and achievable ways to save on energy costs. Let’s drill into the essence of what every person tasked with driving an enterprise renewables push needs to know by comparing the technical definition with the resulting real-world business benefits.

**[To continue reading, click here](http://www.justmeans.com/blogs/lost-in-translation-making-sense-of-three-critical-renewable-energy-strategies-power-purchase)**

***John DuPont** is Principal, Distributed Energy Resources with energy intelligence software pioneer EnerNOC. [www.enernoc.com](http://www.enernoc.com)*



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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